


Love Is Strange (Part Two)

by Lemmerman



Series: Love Is Strange [2]
Category: Krypton (TV 2018)
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-12
Updated: 2019-09-15
Packaged: 2020-05-12 14:04:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 73,263
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19230601
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lemmerman/pseuds/Lemmerman
Summary: Despite all of the efforts of you and your friends, Krypton's timeline has been changed, perhaps irrevocably so. With the planet now under the rule of General Zod, and Adam's future destroyed by the actions of both Zod and Brainiac, you're not sure how your situation can get any worse.Returning to Krypton after months away, you set out to try and repair the damage that has been wrought. Along the way, you must do your best to reunite with your friends, stop a war, and save your planet, all the while continuing to navigate the ups and downs of your burgeoning relationship with Adam.You thought love was strange before? You haven't seen anything yet.[Set during the events of Krypton Season Two]





	1. Strange Homecoming

**Author's Note:**

> Set during the events of Krypton 02x01 - Light-Years From Home

There’s a flash of light and a peculiar shift, as if you’ve remained stationary and the entire universe has moved around you. Familiar surroundings explode into being, the dark grey columns and crowded streets of Kandor.

Smells assault your senses, Kandorian fabric and smoke from the street vendors, so different from what you’ve grown used to over the past three months and yet so comforting. It’s the smell of home.

That said, it’s not quite the same as it was before. The walls and floors look new, shinier than before, and there’s a distinct lack of Rankless hanging around.

Despite the strangeness, the sensation of being back makes you realise just how much you’ve missed this place. It is home after all, despite it’s flaws, despite everything that has gone wrong with it in recent times. You’ve been away, probably for too long, and all that time your city, your home, your entire planet, has needed your help. 

You’d done your best to help it before you left, done everything in your power to prevent what had happened, but despite your best efforts, you know that you failed. 

That failure still haunts you, even now. No matter what you tried, everything still went wrong. You stopped Brainiac, only to trap both him and Seg, your adoptive brother, in the Phantom Zone, and with Daron-Vex and the Voice of Rao missing or dead, General Dru-Zod ha taken over not just Kandor, but the entire planet of Krypton. 

You had wanted to stay, to see things through, but before you could help your home, you had discovered that someone else, someone even more important to you than Krypton, had also needed your help.

Adam Strange, the man you loved, the man you thought had perished giving his life to save Seg, was still alive.

And so you’d used Adam’s gift, a double of his own Zeta-Beam device, to travel through time and space in an attempt to rescue him from whatever fate had befallen him after he was struck by an explosion.

The device had locked on to Adam’s coordinates, and you had reunited in the frozen remnants of an Earth city – Adam’s hometown of Detroit, you soon discovered. And that hadn’t been all – you had traveled through space as you’d thought, but also through time, to Adam’s present day, and what you had found was more awful than you could ever have imagined.

Not only had General Zod conquered Earth, but Brainiac, the Collector Of Worlds and the monster that still haunted your nightmares, had stolen Detroit, and countless other cities from countless other planets. Which meant that in Adam’s time, Brainiac was still alive and free.

Everything you had done to try and stop Zod and Brainiac in your present had been for naught.

But now you’re back. Back on Krypton, back in Adam’s past, your present, hoping against all hope that no matter what had broken the timeline, it could now be fixed.

Adam stands beside you, head down, attempting to look inconspicuous in his new attire. Spending time in an Earth city had allowed both of you to change clothes, to become accustomed to some Earthly comforts that Krypton didn’t afford many of its citizens, like colours other than grey. But on the eve of your return, you had donned your old Kryptonian clothing. Better not to stick out any more than you already would.

Adam on the other hand has made no such effort. Instead, he is dressed in blue jeans, his favourite, and a rather dashing red jacket over his usual blue hoodie. Try as he might, he was unable to replace his Detroit Tigers cap, much to his disappointment. 

Of course, he could wear a rubbish bag and you’d still think he was the most handsome man in the entire universe, but that goes without saying.

Although you’ve been away for a long time, the worries of Krypton have never been far from your mind. Your friends have needed you; the people you care about have been in danger, and you’ve been trying to get back to them, to help in any way you can. After reuniting with Adam, that thought has been your guiding force, the fire in your belly that has kept you and he working on repairing your Zeta-Beam devices and returning to save your friends, even if you may have taken a few detours along the way.

Now though, looking around, you realise how detached you’ve become. Being so far from Krypton, being alone with Adam for the past six months, has made Krypton’s problems into something abstract, an idea to be inspired by, a reason to keep going, which has been an immense comfort in even your most trying of times; being faced with the real thing however is a whole new experience.

Selfishness and guilt grapple within your heart as you tighten your grip on Adam’s hand; you left your friends to find him. You left when the odds were stacked entirely against them, all to pursue the man you loved, who might not have even been alive. Granted, you’d found him, but that wasn’t the point – you’d abandoned your home, and the people you cared about, right when they needed you the most.

Everything that had happened to Krypton in your absence was your fault. 

A small part of you knows that that can’t be true – what could one person do to stop General Zod? What could one person do to influence an entire world? But thoughts of Seg, your best friend who had overturned everything Kandor was built on to save its citizens, of the stories that Adam has told you of Superman and his Justice League, make you doubt yourself; one person can make a difference, if it’s the right person.

Maybe you were the right person. Maybe if you’d stayed, Krypton wouldn’t be as it was now.

Maybe you wouldn’t be standing here, listening to the familiar voice exploding out of a nearby hologram, sending a chill running down your spine. 

The voice of General Zod.

“We are now ready to claim our rightful place among the stars, and fulfill our duty of promoting Kryptonian exceptionalism as rulers of the galaxy!” he shouts as you and Adam weave your way through a crowd of assembled Kandorians, pushing towards the hologram as Zod continues to spout his insane rhetoric.

Things are worse than you feared. You knew before you left that Zod was in the process of taking power. But to take Krypton out among the stars, when intergalactic travel has been banned for centuries, and to conquer no less? He must be mad.

As his speech turns to Seg and his sacrifice, your blood runs cold. Zod is the reason Seg is trapped in the Phantom Zone even now – if he had not smashed Val’s projector, your best friend would still be here, and all of this might have been avoided. Your hands tighten into fists, and Adam winces as you crush his fingers in your grip.

“Okay, that’s enough out of him,” he whispers, pulling you away from the crowd. The electronically distorted voices of Sagitari soldiers are approaching rapidly, and you have no doubt that both you and Adam are on their list of dissidents to round up.

Even having been out of Kandor, off of Krypton for as long as you have, there’s no doubt in your mind that General Zod would still see you as a threat. Anyone linked to Seg would oppose him, and you haven’t come all this way just to be captured at the first sign of trouble.

“This way,” you whisper back, pulling Adam down a twisting hallway. Your feet move on their own, operating on autopilot as you move through the familiar Kandorian streets. You may have been gone for a while, and it may have gotten a new coat of paint, but a few months was nowhere near enough to erase a lifetime’s worth of navigating this city.

You turn a corner, heads down, moving fast as the sound of approaching feet grows louder. Suddenly, a hand whips out and a striking woman with an intricate eyepatch grabs Adam around the mouth and drags him out of sight. His hand leaves yours, and your fingers grasp at thin air.

Your first instinct is to scream, followed closely by attack, but the woman’s eyes are wide with both fear and determination as she throws her head backwards, indicating that you should hide as well. You glance back as the lights of Sagitari pulse rifles breach the darkness behind you and make up your mind, flattening yourself against the wall next to the woman.

The three of you hold your breath as the Sagitari storm past, lights waving, voices loud as they continue their search. Agonizingly slowly they begin to move away, leaving you undiscovered. When the last footstep fades into silence, the woman releases Adam, who turns to face her.

“Oh, hey, thanks!” he says, as surprised as you are to see her, and even more surprised that she is helping you. She smiles a wicked smile however, and plunges a syringe gun into Adam’s throat. He grows dazed and confused, and hits the ground hard.

His eyes struggle to focus, and you look agape at the woman as Adam loses consciousness.

“What in Rao’s name are you doing?” you ask, stepping between the woman and Adam’s now-prone body. “Who are you?”

She’s tall, taller than Adam, her hair pulled back in some severe braids. Your realise that her eyepatch is technological, rather than simply cosmetic, and her broad features are looking at you knowingly.

“My name is Jax-Ur,” she says hurriedly, and points at Adam. “Help me get him up, will you?”

But you refuse to move, her name triggering a distant memory in your mind. “Val-El’s old research partner? What are you doing here?”

“Saving you two idiots from the Sagitari!” She is growing impatient, and goes to push past you. Somehow, you manage to stand firm.

“Did Val send you? Is he alright?”

“There will be plenty of time for questions later! If we don’t get out of here soon, we’ll all be captured, and that’ll be the end of it.” She looks over her shoulder, ears cocked and listening for the Sagitari’s return. “This is exactly the reason why I tranquilized the alien, I knew he’d ask too many questions that we do not have time for!” she insists.

You weigh your options. You don’t have many. You drop to your knees, throw Adam’s arm over your shoulder, and pull him to his feet. Jax-Ur grabs his other arm, and begins to lead you through the streets of Kandor, hopefully away from danger and towards your friends.

*********

You lie flat on your back, eyes darting across the ceiling, listening to the sounds of the other people in the next room like a prey animal, worried which of the predators around you will strike first. Jax-Ur, Nyssa-Vex, Val-El, and Mama Zed are all occupied with their own tasks, and have left you to rest.

Adam is asleep across from you; the reunion, coupled with the drugs that Jax-Ur gave him, have knocked him out again. The revelations that you have both received hit him hard, and while he is sleeping them off to process them, your mind is whirling at a mile a minute.

So much has changed since you left. Where did you even begin to try and fix it all?

Finally, unable to sleep, you swing your legs sideways and return to the main room. No one looks up, so you make your way to the closest of your allies. You don’t feel as if you can call her a friend just yet; kidnapper might be more apt for now.

Jax-Ur eyes you suspiciously with her lone eye. You do your best not to stare at her eye patch, while maintaining eye contact and looking as defiant as you possibly can. She’s playing with her pulse pistol idly, clicking the safety off and on with the flat of her thumb.

“I can’t sleep,” you tell her in response to her questioning look. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

She glares at you, as if you are a child trying to stay up past their bedtime. “I’m not sure yet,” she says finally, clicking her pistol again. “You’re a hard one to read.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“Take it however you like.”

“I can tell you don’t trust me,” you tell her honestly. “You don’t have any reason to, other than Val’s word.”

“Which is usually enough,” Jax-Ur admits, shrugging her shoulders. She puts her pulse pistol back down on the table with a sigh, which you take as a good sign. “But we can’t be too careful. You have to admit, a time travelling alien from the future and his Kryptonian companion land on our doorstep, blathering on about changing the timeline and Val-El’s super-powered great-grandson? It’s not easily believable.”

“I’ve been where you are,” you tell her, feeling your face form into an empathetic smile unbidden. Despite her stern appearance, you can feel yourself warming to the woman. She’s tough, but she’s not unfeeling. “It was hard for me too, when he first appeared. But Adam’s not an enemy, and he’s not a liar. And neither am I.”

Jax-Ur sighs again, and shakes her head. “Time will tell, I suppose. I’m trusting Val, for now. So I guess that means I’m trusting you and your boyfriend as well.”

You feel your cheeks burn at the word; even if you’ve been together for a while now, it’s still an unfamiliar sound to hear. It wasn’t like you’d had much cause to call him that when you were alone together.

“Just don’t give me any reason to regret it, and everything will be fine.” She says it flatly, but there’s no mistaking the threat hiding just beneath the surface of her words.

“I promise you, we won’t.”

Jax-Ur nods, seemingly having made up her mind about you for now, and then indicates over her shoulder. “I think Zed could do with a hand.”

You turn, and sure enough Mama Zed is attempting to pile blankets into a basket. For every one she slots onto the top of the pile, two seem to fall off and roll across the floor. You make your way across the room and grab one, handing it back to her. She accepts it gratefully and shoves it back into the basket.

“Rations and warm clothing for the resistance,” she explains as you quirk an eyebrow. “Guns and armour are all well and good, but an army’s useless if they’re cold and hungry.”

“You’re probably the last person I expected to be helping us out here, Zed,” you tell the older woman with a grin, which she returns warmly.

“I may be old, but I’m not dead yet, and I’m not about to let someone like that Zod bulldoze centuries of Kryptonian tradition and turn us into some kind of warrior race,” she replies in her lilting accent. “Besides, my bunions have been playing up – I’d be useless as a newborn in a battle, so I’m doing my part in other ways.”

“Oh, I don’t know,” you say, with a mischievous look, scratching behind your left ear as if an old war wound is acting up. “I’ve had a few smacks from you that would make any race want to surrender.”

Mama Zed makes a dismissive noise and turns to go. “And your wit is as vicious as any Sagitari blaster, just as I remember. All those smacks clearly didn’t do their job!” She heads towards the door, basket in her arms, but you stop her with a shout. There is someone conspicuously missing from your assembly, and if anyone would know where he is, it would be Zed.

“Zed, what’s happened to Kem? Is he...” You can’t bear to complete the sentence, to give voice to the dark thought, as if saying it would make it come true when you have already lost so much.

She turns slightly in the doorway, keeping her face obscured – whether from sadness, or something else, you’re not sure. “That poor boy. When everything happened, when Zod swept across Krypton like a tidal wave, any able bodied Kryptonian got conscripted, even all the way in Kryptonopolis. He’s one of Zod’s little army men now, well beyond our reach, if he’s not already dead.”

Her words are like hammer blows across your chest, her nonchalance at your friend’s potential fate making your breath hitch in your throat.

“I’ve been searching for him,” Zed continues, oblivious to your discomfort as she stares out into the hallway. “Asking around, trying to see if I can locate him. But no one seems to want to talk to old Mama Zed any more. If I hear anything, you will be the first to know. I know he was your friend – probably the only one he has left, if Seg is as lost as you and Val say he is.”

“Thank you,” is all you can manage to say as she leaves, the doorway now as empty as the Kem-shaped space in your heart.

The overriding feeling that this is all your fault returns, threatening to drag you under into the depths of despair. 

But then you look around the room at your friends and allies, at Jax-Ur, Nyssa, and Val, hear the sound of Adam’s gentle snoring from the next room, and steel yourself once more. Kem isn’t dead. You don’t know how, but you know that’s true. And just as you found Adam, just as you’re going to find Seg, you’ll find him as well.

The universe should know better by now than to try and keep you away from the people you care about.

As this defiant thought fills your mind, you feel a tug at your elbow. Nyssa-Vex stands before you, somehow resplendent even in a rough Rankless gown, her child clasped to her chest as if she never intends to let him go. You don’t blame her.

“Long time no see,” she says with her usual wicked grin. If not for literally everything around you, you’d have thought that this was just a normal day for Nyssa, as if you were meeting her in her chambers and not in some squalid back-street apartment full of seditious rebels.

“Tell me about it. I see I missed a lot while I was gone,” you say, inclining your head towards Cor-Vex. The child is completely silent; he’s either asleep, or Nyssa’s taught him very well already. You wonder how Seg will react to know that he has another son wandering around; hopefully Cor will be a little less murderous than his brother, General Zod.

“I’m glad you’re alright,” Nyssa says, and while you know her face is practiced at deception, you can tell that she means it. “I’m glad I got to see you before I head out.”

“Something for the resistance? Surely they can send someone who doesn’t have a baby attached to them at all times?”

Nyssa grins, and then looks distant, as if she is remembering some painful memory. You’re both quiet for a moment and then, just as you’re about to repeat your question, she speaks.

“It’s about my father. I’ve been searching for him ever since Zod took over, and I think I’ve finally found him.”

You’re even more confused now than when you started. “After everything he’s done to you, you still want to see him?” You try to keep the judgment out of your voice, but you’re not sure how well you succeed.

Nyssa doesn’t even seem to notice. She shakes her head instead, dismissing your comment. “I have things I need to ask him. He owes me answers, and I have to hear them from him.”

There’s more to this story, you’re certain of it, but Nyssa doesn’t feel like sharing just yet. You’re not the closest of friends, barely friends at all really when compared to Seg or Kem, so you don’t push. Despite your lack of familiarity, you do know one thing – nothing you can say will persuade her not to go, so you don’t waste your breath trying.

Instead, you clasp her on the shoulder. She’s momentarily taken aback, but recovers herself quickly, all the poise befitting a Kryptonian magistrate returning. 

“Just be careful. I’m sick of losing friends, and I’m not about to lose another one,” you tell her in no uncertain terms.

She smiles again, and you could swear that she’s tearing up, but she moves away before either of you can say anything further. She leaves the room, and you notice Jax-Ur following quickly after her.

Perhaps she thinks she’ll have more luck convincing Nyssa to stay. You doubt she’ll be any more successful than you would have been, but you wish her luck.

Daron-Vex doesn’t deserve a daughter like Nyssa, you think. She doesn’t owe him any more of her thoughts, or her time. And if he gets her captured, or worse, you’ll make sure he pays for it. He can join the list of people you cannot forgive, alongside Zod and Brainiac.

A small cough sounds from behind you, and you turn to find Val-El, the wrinkles around his mouth tight as he smiles.

“Val!” you exclaim, throwing your arms around the old man. You feel his beard twisting against your cheek as he smiles, his own arms circling your back and patting between your shoulder blades. You had both been all business earlier, and there had been no time for a true reunion. Now however, you can embrace your adoptive grandfather properly.

“Oh, it really is good to see you,” he says, squeezing harder. “I thought...”

“It’s okay. I know. But I’m here now. I’m back for good.”

You break your embrace and Val’s hands linger on your shoulders as he smiles his grandfatherly smile. Then, as one, you both say, “I’m sorry.”

“What in Rao’s name for?” Val asks. “You’ve nothing to apologize for. I, on the other hand-”

“I left, Val!” you interrupt loudly, throwing your hands up and knocking his from your shoulders. 

Across the room, Jax-Ur steps back through the doorway (alone, you note with a certain sense of dark satisfaction) and shoots you a wary look, slamming a finger over her lips. 

You shoot a sheepish smile back her way and continue, more quietly, “I left you to rescue Seg, to deal with Zod, to do it all on your own. I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have left, even to find Adam.”

“Nonsense!” he replies, incredulous. “You did what I told you to do. You went and found Adam, as I knew you would, and you came back safely. With the two of you at our side, I’m sure we’ll be able to right all this madness. I’m sorry that I wasn’t able to do any of that without you. I failed, utterly and completely. Zod took the Fortress, took our only chance of bringing Seg back from the Phantom Zone, after all our hard work to get it working again.”

“That’s not your fault. You’re only one person, Val. You couldn’t possibly-”

You stop, as the sentiment catches in your throat and realization hits you like a pulse blast; you’re forgiving him for the very thing that you’ve been subconsciously punishing yourself for ever since you left. 

You’re only one person, just as Val, as Adam, as Nyssa all are. All of this is far too large for any of you to take on alone, and is too much responsibility to bear on only one set of shoulders.

If you can forgive Val without even thinking about it, then you can forgive yourself, as well. It may take a little longer, but you resolve to try.

“No, I suppose I couldn’t,” Val says, still apologetic. “But that doesn’t mean I don’t feel awful about it.”

“I know the feeling,” you reply sadly. Maybe you’re an El in more than just name after all.

There’s one other person missing from your merry band of rebels – the one who keeps you all together, your compass, your guiding light. Your best friend. So when Adam proposes a way to rescue Seg, you don’t even ask him before pulling your Zeta-Beam device from your pocket and informing everyone that you’ll be going with him.

For one thing, you’re never leaving Adam’s side again if you can help it. And for another, there’s no way you’re leaving Seg trapped in the Phantom Zone for any longer than he already has been. 

It’s about time you take another stupid risk for the people you care about. And after all, what could be more stupid than trying to teleport outside of time and space to a prison dimension?

*********

“I had no choice. I’m sorry.”

Mama Zed’s words of betrayal sink into your mind just as a pulse blast sinks into her back and Sagitari soldiers burst into the room.

Everything is suddenly a whirl of movement. Jax-Ur and Val dive on the weapons table, and Adam overturns the other as he grabs the Zeta-Beam device he was calibrating and launches himself to the floor.

You skitter across to him, head low as the Sagitari fire indiscriminately. The air sizzles above you as their blasts crash into the walls of the room, scarring them black.

“We’ve got to get out of here!” you shout impotently, wincing as more energy crackles above you.

“No shit!” Adam replies. His head is on a swivel, and he points to an alcove that offers relative, if temporary, safety. “That way!”

You wait for the blaster fire to lessen for a moment as the Sagitari reload, and then skid across the floor, scrambling to your feet as Adam crashes into you, hot on your heels.

“Adam!” shouts Jax-Ur, and she throws Adam a pulse pistol. He squeezes the trigger and returns fire, halting the advancing Sagitari in their tracks.

“Val!” you call back, and Val-El gives you a desperate look as Jax-Ur screams in defiance, joining her blaster fire with Adam’s.

“Go!” Val calls over the din. “Save Seg!”

“I’m not leaving you behind! Not when we’ve just got back!” you shout, as if your words can will the world to bend to your whim.

Val is more practical, and shakes his head. “You have no choice! If you don’t go, we’ll all be captured!”

“But-”

“GO!”

Adam looks back at that, and catches Jax-Ur’s eye. “You get out of here,” he tells her, “I’ll cover you.”

Unlike you, Jax-Ur doesn’t argue. Instead she grabs Val by the wrist and drags him out of sight, away to some hidden back-entrance that you didn’t know existed.

“You ready for this?” Adam asks, firing with one hand and using the other to fiddle with his Zeta-Beam device.

Not at all, you think.

“Absolutely!” you say.

Adam’s face mirrors your own look of worry. But you’re running out of time and Adam’s running out of ammo. The Sagitari are getting bolder, and one of them takes careful aim as Adam turns away from them to select the correct buttons on his Zeta-Beam device.

“Now!” he shouts, and you press the button on your own device as the Sagitari fires, a beam of sickly orange streaking towards you both.

The world seems to slow, the energy blast crawling through the sky as a crystalline structure appears around you, the beginnings of the Zeta-Beam device’s teleportation mechanism.

If you believed in Rao or any of the other gods, you’d be praying to them right now. Hell, if Nightwing and Flamebird wanted to swoop down and save you, you wouldn’t complain.

But they don’t. They don’t need to. The room winks out as the Sagitari’s blast nears, and then you leave Krypton behind once more.

*********

You expect the sensation of traveling by Zeta-Beam to feel different this time; traveling outside of time and space to the Phantom Zone should be different. You brace yourself for pain, or for your body to tear itself apart.

Instead, it feels exactly as it has every time you’ve traveled before. The universe moves around you, greenery and trees bursting into view as you find yourself high in the air.

You plummet quickly, so quickly that you don’t even get to scream, and land on a heap of leaves with a soft thump. You pull yourself to your feet and dust yourself down, taking in your new surroundings with open-mouthed awe.

The sky above you is crystal blue, and the smell of plants and trees, of life unbridled in a way that it never manages to be on Krypton assaults your nose. The planet, wherever you are, is beautiful.

Adam’s cursing reaches your ears, and you shake yourself free of your wonderment, walking a few feet towards the sound and finding him upside down at the bottom of a tree. You help him to his feet and try not to laugh as he grumbles. 

“One of these days, I’m going to find a way to program this thing so it doesn’t toss me into stuff,” he says, shaking the Zeta-Beam device and throwing it the filthiest look you’ve ever seen. You reach over and pull a leaf from his hair.

“If it’s taken us to Seg, then I’ll gladly throw myself into a hundred trees,” you tell him, pocketing your own device and looking around again. “This doesn’t seem to be the Phantom Zone. Or the Phantom Zone’s a lot prettier than I thought it’d be.”

“You were right the first time – this isn’t the Phantom Zone,” Adam confirms, staring at the star chart on his Zeta-Beam device. “We’re still in our normal universe, and we haven’t moved through time as far as I can see, although we’re definitely not on Krypton – we’re somewhere else entirely. Some place called...Colu?”

You shrug. The name means little to you; Krypton had spent so long denying the existence of life among the stars that you’d never had any need to learn about other planets.

Of course, all that was changing now, thanks to Zod.

“Is this where Seg is?” you ask, trying not to be too hopeful. If he’s not in the Phantom Zone though, then you can’t help but think that that’s a good thing; anywhere’s better than being trapped in that place.

A noise from nearby alerts you both, and you make your way through the trees towards it, each step bringing your heart closer and closer to breaking point – you’re not sure what you’ll feel, what you’ll do, if Seg isn’t okay. Your heart will crack, but what will spill forth is a mystery that will only be answered by what condition Seg is in.

But you needn’t have feared. You pass through some trees and a familiar back comes into view. His hair is shaggier, and you can see a wild beard peeking out from the sides of his face, but there’s no mistaking it. Seg-El is standing before you.

“Seg!” you shout, and both you and Adam rush to his side. Your heart does indeed burst, but with hope instead of despair, and you feel tears of joy running down your face as you see your best friend.

Seg appears dazed to start with, confused, and you back away almost as quickly as you’d advanced as Adam tries to shake him back to himself. Best not to crowd Seg just yet.

As you step back, you see what Seg was looking at; the unmistakable corpse of Brainiac lies at his feet, head split into pieces and leaking whatever his version of blood is across the forest floor. You see Adam pull a piece of wood out of Seg’s hand, the end of it stained the same colour.

The sight of one of your greatest enemies, the source of so much of your pain and suffering dead at your feet brings your hatred to the fore, your tears drying instantly from the heat of it.

You step over the crushed body of Brainiac, and you spit as hard as you can onto his corpse. It’s futile, and childish, but it makes you feel better nonetheless. He has taken so much from you, from the ones you love, and now he cannot take anything further.

One down, you think.

Behind you, Seg’s voice fills with recognition. You turn to see him embracing Adam, and the hatred you felt moments ago drains away. You leave it on the ground at Brainiac’s feet, the only headstone he deserves, and turn away from his body, resolving never to think of him again.

“Damn, am I glad to see you, Earth-man!” Seg is saying, wrapping Adam in the tightest of hugs. As they break apart, you step into his field of vision and smile, your tears returning unbidden.

Seg calls your name, and drags you into a rough hug as well. “You came back for me. Both of you came all this way, just to save me?”

“We’re Els, Seg. We don’t leave people behind,” you tell him.

“I’m so glad to see you,” he says, squeezing tighter, and you’re reminded of Val. “I thought I’d never see you, either of you, again.”

“You thought something as silly as being trapped in another dimension would keep you away from us? Talk about underestimating us, dude,” Adam says nonchalantly, and you laugh as you break your embrace, enjoying the happiness that seeing Seg for the first time in months inspires within you.

He’s definitely haggard and unkempt; you know that the Phantom Zone removes all need for food or water, but he looks distant, almost hollow. Your heart breaks all over again; months of torture in the Phantom Zone with only Brainiac for company isn’t something you’d wish on anyone, least of all Seg.

Well, maybe General Zod.

Adam goes to speak, probably to start catching Seg up on the goings on in Kandor, and beyond, but there’s one thing you have to get off your chest first.

“I don’t like the beard, Seg. Far too scratchy,” you say with a grin, and Seg rolls his eyes.

“No razors in the Phantom Zone,” he explains. “Adam likes it, though.”

“Adam can kiss you instead of me, then,” you quip.

“Note to self – do not grow beard,” Adam says, completely deadpan, and the three of you laugh, hard and unrestrained, the sound of pure joy echoing out across the empty forest and beyond.

The universe may have conspired to keep you apart, but you’ve defied it. You’ve crossed time and space, traveled across the galaxy, to get back to the people you care about, and now the fruit of your labours is ready to harvest; you, Adam Strange, and Seg-El are together once more, and the universe better watch out.

*********

“God damn it. When I get back to Rann, I’m stealing something more reliable than this thing,” Adam says, shaking the Zeta-Beam device for the hundredth time.

“I thought you said you borrowed it,” you say, stepping over a clump of vines in the grass as you move towards higher ground.

With Seg rescued, you now need to get back to Kandor. Unfortunately, both yours and Adam’s Zeta-Beam devices don’t seem to be working properly, and so the three of you are heading for higher ground, hoping to get a better signal.

“That’s exactly what I meant,” Adam says without skipping a beat. “Borrowing something more reliable.”

You turn to Seg and smirk. He smiles back. He seems okay, all things considered. He’s holding it together for now, but you know from experience that the trauma could hit him at all once, at some point in the future. Something might trigger it, something he doesn’t even expect, and you vow to be there for him, if and when it does, as Adam was for you.

Something Adam said when he was explaining the past few months to Seg sticks out in your mind however, like a mental splinter in your brain. Something that had never occurred to you, even in the time you spent alone together.

“I never realised you were the only one of your race left, Adam. I can’t imagine how that must feel,” you say as sympathetically as you can manage. Seg pulls ahead, sensing that you need some time alone.

Adam shakes his head, putting on a brave face. “It’s not that bad. It’s not permanent, as long as we can put everything back the way it’s meant to be.”

“Even so...I’m here, if you want to talk. I’m sure it must be hard.”

“We’ve got bigger problems than my mental state,” he says dismissively. “It’s nothing. I’m trying not to think about it, in all honesty. If we can fix it all, then it won’t even matter, so it’s not worth spending time worrying about, you know?”

He smiles, but it’s an empty expression, devoid of emotion. This is harder for him than he’s letting on. You take his arm, resting your head on his shoulder as you continue through the seemingly endless Coluan forest. 

“I listened to you, for the record,” you whisper to him. He makes an inquisitive noise, eyes focused on the Zeta-Beam device and the path ahead so that neither of you fall into the grass.

“You said that no one listened to you back on Kandor when you first arrived, while you were arguing with Seg. But that’s not true. I listened. I believed you.”

“You know I didn’t mean you,” he says apologetically, dancing over a knot of roots that threaten to tangle around your ankles.

“I’m in your corner, Adam,” you tell him emphatically. “Even when we fell out, I believed in you. I think I believed in you even when you didn’t believe in yourself.”

“I know you are. I can always count on you, especially when I can’t count on myself.”

“Then you know that you don’t have to do this alone any more. I know you felt like that before, but it’s not true any longer. Seg’s here. I’m here. We’re all on the same page now, even if it took a little while to get there.”

Adam stops walking and lowers the Zeta-Beam device, looking at you properly.

“You...You’re really something, you know that?” he says. 

“I really am,” you confirm. “And that something is ready and willing to do whatever it takes to fix the timeline, save my planet, and the universe, and whatever else needs saving.”

Adam laughs at that, and plants a kiss on your cheek in thanks. “With that kind of confidence on our side, we’ve got nothing to worry about.”

You continue walking, heading towards Seg who has stopped a short distance away. 

“I want to say something about you being fully cocked as well, but I don’t feel like that’s appropriate,” you say as you reunite with Seg.

Adam blushes, and sputters as he attempts to reply, taken off-guard by your unexpectedly crass comment. You can’t help but smirk.

Seg replies for him however, rolling his eyes and throwing his hands to the sky in mock despair. “Rao save me! If you’re going to discuss your sex life, I’d rather to go back to the Phantom Zone; at least Brainiac kept things clean.”

You and Adam both laugh, and Seg himself grins and shakes his head.

Your moment of brevity is interrupted by a loud howling noise. Immediately the three of you are silent and alert, looking around for the source of the sound.

“You said Brainiac told you this planet was uninhabited?” Adam asks. “That’s not the sound uninhabited makes.”

“Yeah, it’s uninhabited because Brainiac killed everyone,” you add quietly. Seg shrugs.

“He did say that. I don’t think he was lying, so whatever made that noise is probably something to worry about.”

“I think it came from that way,” Seg continues, gesturing to a clearing a short distance away. As you move towards it, Adam raises a hand to stop you.

“Stay here. We’ll check it out, and come straight back.”

Your hackles instantly rise with indignation. “You don’t need to protect me, Adam,” you tell him matter-of-factly.

“I know that,” he says, looking you straight in the eyes as he tries to communicate his feelings. “I just think it’ll be better if you stay here as back-up. Whatever’s over there might be dangerous, and you’ll be our ace in the hole.”

You want to argue, but you can see the logic in that statement, much as you’re loathe to admit it.

“Okay, fine. But if you two aren’t back in five minutes, I’m coming after you.”

Adam nods, motions to Seg, and the two of them head off without another word. You look around yourself, wondering what to do. Grab a rock? Climb a tree? Hide behind a bush?

Seg and Adam have only been gone about thirty seconds before the sound of blaster fire and a rough voice, amplified by the otherwise silent planet, boom out from the direction they headed in.

You drop into a crouch and move through the trees as cautiously as you can, padding as silently as possible through the grass until you reach the clearing. You conceal yourself behind a final tree, gazing out at the most unexpected scene unfolding before you.

Adam and Seg are both flat on the ground. Terror grips you for a moment before you see their chests rise and fall almost simultaneously. Thank Rao, they’re still alive.

Standing over them however is another man. He’s rough around the edges, wearing torn leather pants and a vest over a bare torso, with an honest-to-Rao metal chain wrapped around one wrist that ends in a wicked looking hook. His pitch black hair is matted and disgusting, while his skin is the off-colour grey of dirty dishwater.

“Name’s Lobo!” he shouts, either unaware or unconcerned that his victims are unconscious. You creep closer as he speaks, trying to discern what he wants from your friends, but he seems as confused as to why they’re on Colu as you are that he is.

You watch, powerless as he ties his metal chain around Adam and Seg’s legs and begins pulling them through the forest as if they weigh nothing at all. His obvious strength smashes the half-formed rescue plan in your mind to pieces.

You follow behind them, careful to remain as silent as possible. Luckily Lobo is still talking to himself, which gives you additional cover with which to creep from tree to tree. 

Adam was right to have you hang back; it looks like he and Seg are going to need you after all. But for now, all you can do is watch as Lobo, whoever he is, drags your friends away into the unknown.


	2. Strange Assailant

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Set during the events of Krypton 02x02 - Ghost In The Fire

The sound of Lobo’s voice explodes across the Coluan forest like an incessant siren, impossible to ignore. Even if you weren’t actively following him, it wouldn’t be difficult to track the maniac as he drags his chosen prey through the grass.

You’re not sure exactly what he hopes to accomplish; both Seg and Adam are still unconscious and can’t hear a word he’s saying. He must just enjoy the sound of his own voice. It’s not even like he’s saying anything useful either, just rambling on about the horrible ways he’s going to murder them if they can’t answer his questions, whatever they’re going to be.

You sneak along behind him, following at what you hope is a safe distance. Once or twice you stop hastily as Lobo freezes, looking around him with exaggerated confusion, but each time he shrugs and continues onwards, satisfied that he’s still all alone.

Eventually he stops. You’ve no idea why this spot is any different to any other, but it’s apparently important to Lobo as he places Seg and Adam on either side of a wide-trunked tree and wraps his chain tightly around them.

You take up a position close enough to hear whatever is about to take place, dragging a thicket of leaves and twigs over the top of you as silently as you can manage. You’re almost directly above the scene unfolding, but if Lobo looks up, all he’ll see is the undergrowth, hopefully.

Seg is the first to come to, waking with bleary eyes. He snaps right to attention however when Lobo starts waving instruments of death in his face. A machete, some kind of morning star, both of which are conspicuously stained with blood. Whoever this guy is, the more you see of him, the more worried for your friends you become.

As Seg tries and fails to reason with Lobo, Adam stirs. Lobo instantly fills with glee, and dances around to the other side of the tree.

Adam is mumbling to himself, a tiny smile on his face. Even across the distance, you can distinctly hear him say your name at least once.

“Ohhh, he’s havin’ one of those happy dreams!” Lobo says, grin growing even larger. You feel the blush rise in your cheeks, probably glowing like a miniature sun from beneath the leaves. Lobo’s going to be able to find you from the heat of your embarrassment at this rate.

“Wakey, wakey, hands off snakey!” Lobo shouts, and Adam snaps awake, struggling against Lobo’s chain and staring up at the pale-skinned man, who is now looking down at him, eyebrows furrowed in appraisal.

“Well, well, well, ain’t you a little cutie?” 

“Oh, well, thank you. I like to think so myself,” Adam replies before he can stop himself. You resist the urge to facepalm and definitely give away your position. Flirting with your captor is a good way to get yourself killed – surely Adam knows that. And yet, here you are.

Then again, Adam’s been knocked unconscious and just woken up, so he’s probably not thinking straight. Probably.

Your heart leaps into your throat as Lobo pulls Adam’s Zeta-Beam device from his hoodie pocket and examines it. “What’s this then?”

You feel your fingernails cut your palms as your hands tighten involuntarily into fists. If he breaks that, the three of you are going to be trapped here forev-

You don’t even get to finish your thought, and Adam doesn’t get a chance to reply before Lobo proudly proclaims, “Don’t care!” and promptly tosses the Zeta-Beam device into the nearby river.

You want to go down there and yell at him. Hit him, or throw him in the river, see how he likes it. You want to do a lot of things. But all you do is bite your lip so hard that blood fills your mouth, and scream internally with frustration. It’s all you can do. For now.

Of course, Lobo has no idea what he’s getting into. For all he knows, Adam and Seg are just in the wrong place at the wrong time. But the longer he stays with them, the more chance he has of doing something that the three of you can’t fix, and that’s the absolute last thing on the long list of things you don’t need right now.

Lobo’s threats are becoming more and more graphic, and more and more imminent. His frustrations at the fact that no one seems to know who he is grow louder, and it’s only when Lobo mentions his actual name rather than one of his myriad of nicknames that some kind of recognition registers; Adam chokes – whether in fear or amusement you’re not sure, and it doesn’t matter anyway. Even if Lobo is a joke, he has your friends at his mercy, and you have to get them away from him before he follows through on one of the many, many disturbing threats he’s made.

You slip out from under your cover as Lobo descends into another tirade. This one is focused on Seg, who is trying to relate the story of how he killed Brainiac. Lobo’s not buying it, but hopefully it’ll keep him distracted long enough for you to do...something.

You slide down the hill, dropping into another cluster of bushes. The tree trunk blocks you from Lobo’s view, but from here you can see Adam – and, more importantly, he can see you.

He tenses as you make eye contact, his entire body rigid and unmoving. Lobo is too busy questioning Seg about Brainiac to notice, thankfully, and you begin to slink forward. If you can get Adam free, maybe the two of you together can overpower Lobo and free Seg.

You’ve barely gone a step however when Adam’s expression changes. He shakes his head ever so slightly, and chucks his chin behind him, indicating his captor.

You raise your eyebrows questioningly.

Adam shakes his head harder.

He...doesn’t want you to save him? 

Adam begins to mouth words, soundlessly and exaggeratedly so that you can’t miss his meaning.

“Stay away,” he says. “Stay away from him, whatever you do. He’s dangerous.”

“But-” you begin, copying his soundless communication, but Adam just shakes his head even harder.

“Get away. Seg and I have got this.”

You don’t think they do. You think they’re both trapped, both at the mercy of some nutjob with too many pointy objects, a very high opinion of himself, and a dangerous habit of flirting with everything he sees.

But for now, you do as Adam says. You raise your hands in surrender and back away, returning to the cover of the bushes as Lobo and Seg appear to come to an agreement.

Seg will show Lobo Brainiac’s body, and then Lobo will let Seg and Adam go. Simple.

But something tells you that it’s not going to be that easy. Lobo is unpredictable, and you don’t trust him to honour his deal in the slightest. So as the three of them move through the trees, Seg and Adam in the lead, Lobo bringing up the rear, you return to your silent stalking once again, a very, very dangerous plan slowly taking shape in your head.

*********

“Hey, frag face.”

Seg, Adam, and Lobo all freeze in their tracks as you call out. To them, all they can see is you leaning nonchalantly against a tree, glaring down your nose at Lobo as if he has personally offended you.

What they can’t see is you shaking inside as you bet everything you have on this insane gambit.

Adam and Seg both look at you in confusion, but thankfully Lobo can’t see their faces from his vantage point. Your ruse is entirely contingent on them playing along, or at least staying quiet and not blowing your (flimsy though it is) cover.

“I think you have something of mine,” you tell Lobo as calmly as you can manage. You’re glad to hear that there’s no quaver in your voice, and it actually sounds kind of sultry.

“Oh really?” Lobo asks, sizing you up with his eyes. You can’t tell if he approves or not just yet. “And what might that be?”

“Why, those two, of course. I think you’ll find that they’re my bounty. You’ll have to get your own” You point at Seg and Adam over Lobo’s shoulder. He doesn’t even turn, instead fixing you with a glare of his own.

“I think you’ll find, sweet thing, that these little lads are all mine now. So unless you fancy takin’ them by force, which I wouldn’t recommend, you best skedaddle on out of here.” His voice drops an octave as he adds, “before I turn nasty.”

You knew this was never going to be that easy. As if you could just ask Lobo to give you your friends back. On to Plan B, then.

B for By Rao, This Is Dumb.

You saunter over, closing the gap between you and Lobo, your glare softening as you do so. You try to walk as seductively as possible, swinging your hips so hard that you might dislocate your legs, and fixing Lobo with hooded eyes.

Adam and Seg aren’t saying anything. You will them not to, because the wrong word from them will bring this all crashing down.

“Maybe I like nasty,” you tell Lobo, biting your lip in what you hope is a sexy look. You don’t have enough practise at this kind of thing. You hope that it won’t be your downfall; you only need Lobo’s attention for a little longer.

Behind him, out of the corner of your eye, you see Adam’s jaw hit the floor. You try not to look at him, eyes only for Lobo despite the churning in your stomach.

His own glare transforms instantly into hunger, and he waggles his eyebrows, two thick, matted beasts bouncing up and down his face. His piercing red eyes, the colour of blood, turn your stomach even further, but you dare not look away.

“Considerin’ this planet’s meant to be uninhabited, I find it suspicious that I’ve found three people here who ain’t meant to be,” Lobo says. “Are you trying to tell me that you’re not with these two mooks?”

“Never seen them before in my life,” you lie easily. “But they’re wanted back on Krypton, and I’ve been sent to find them. You’ve heard of General Zod, I take it? The big man himself hired me to come and bring them back to him.”

“General who now? From Craptown? Not a clue.” He shrugs animatedly, his chain clinking in time with the movement.

“You will soon enough,” you promise. “He’s not a man you want to be on the bad side of.”

“The same could be said of me. You know who I am, of course?”

“How could I not?” you tell him, moving even closer. “The Last Czarnian himself? I’d be honoured, if you weren’t in the way of my bounty.”

Lobo looks pleased and nods his head at you, looking back at Seg and Adam. “See! Everyone knows the Main Man!”

“Your reputation is legendary across the galaxy,” you purr, reaching out a hand and running it down Lobo’s exposed chest. The waxy feel of it makes your skin crawl, but you keep your revulsion out of your voice as best you can. “I’ve always wanted to meet the Main Man.”

Lobo grins even wider, puffing out his chest and even licking a hand and running it through his mane of unruly hair. It makes no difference; it still looks like a mass of bird’s nest tied together with barbed wire.

“So, maybe we can come to some kind of agreement?” you continue, nuzzling into his neck and running your tongue along it, willing yourself not to vomit. “Some kind of...payment...for your two prisoners?”

Lobo visibly tingles at your touch, the shiver traveling through you as well. 

“Oh, I’m sure I might be able to think of somethin’,” Lobo replies, reaching out a rough hand to try and draw your face towards his.

“Please Rao, don’t make us watch this,” Seg says from somewhere behind you. With your free hand, you flip him a thumbs up.

As Lobo’s mouth comes towards yours, a black, inky maw that you absolutely do not want anywhere near you, you draw up your knee and drive it into what you hope is a Czarnian’s weak spot, right between his legs.

It’s like driving your knee into concrete. Pain lances through your leg and you flinch away, narrowly avoiding Lobo’s poorly-aimed kiss as you tumble to the floor.

“Run!” you shout at Seg and Adam as Lobo roughly grabs your wrist and yanks you back upright.

“How fraggin’ stupid do you think I am?!” he shouts directly into your face. “I’m the fraggin’ Main Man, not some bastich! You think I wasn’t on to you from the beginning? Get back here!”

This last command is aimed at Seg and Adam, who have tried to beat a hasty retreat. In one smooth motion, Lobo draws his weapon and fires it at a tree slightly to the left of them, burning a perfect hole right through its trunk.

They both stop in their tracks and turn back around slowly, hands raised to the sky.

Lobo drags you to your feet, sneering nastily as he shoves you back towards Adam and Seg.

“You wanna be with your friends so badly? Go for it! Now get moving! I’ve got an appointment with the dead body of my most hated enemy, and if anything else gets in our way, I’ll murderize all three of you on the spot!”

You fall in line next to Adam, an apologetic look on your face as you rub your wrist. 

“I’m sorry,” you whisper as the three of you fall into step behind Lobo as he continues his march through the forest. “Not my finest hour.”

Adam however looks impressed. “Of all the plans you could have thought of, that was the one you went with? Not dig a hole and hope he falls in, or build a big swinging log trap? Your first instinct was ‘flirt with the psycho and knee him in the ‘nads when he’s not looking’?”

You’re not sure whether to look sheepish or proud, so you just shrug. “It seemed like the best of a bad bunch of ideas.”

“Your mind works in mysterious ways,” Adam says. “But if you had kissed him, I’d have had to wash your mouth out a hundred times before I even thought about kissing you again.”

“I think we have more pressing matters at hand?” Seg interrupts, nodding towards Lobo. “Because now we’re all his prisoners, and no closer to getting away from him.”

“No more talking!” Lobo shouts, turning back, weapon in hand. “Get me to Brainiac, and I’ll think about letting you all live. Or, I can shoot you all here and find him myself!”

“No, no, we can take you,” Seg says, hands raised in surrender. “It’s not much farther now.”

“Good!” Lobo bellows, putting his entire body behind the word. He goes to walk away, then stops and reconsiders, coming right up to you until there’s barely any space between your faces.

You think he might try and kiss you again, but instead he just yells, “You’d have been lucky to kiss the Main Man!” and then storms off, actually managing to sound offended.

You follow along in silence, slightly amazed at yourself. The you that first met Adam would never have attempted something so dangerous, so insane. But you’re not that person any more. You hadn’t hesitated; you’d made a plan and followed it through, even if it was crazy. 

Granted, your plan had failed, but you still tried something. You hadn’t let your doubts stop you. You’d seen what needed to be done, and tried your best to do it. Your trip to Colu may not have been planned, but it was proving to be revealing, at the very least. 

There is one bonus to your plan failing, however small. As you trail along behind Lobo, Adam silently slips his hand into yours and squeezes it, and somehow that makes all this seem worth it, even if just for a moment.

*********

Even though you’re seeing it with your own eyes, you’re having trouble believing what you’re seeing.

Like one of the heroes in Adam’s stories, Seg has superpowers.

You’d marched through the remainder of the forest to Brainiac’s body, hoping that your trick hadn’t put the Czarnian in the mood for even more murder, and that he’d honour his deal to let Seg and Adam go once they delivered Brainiac’s body. But Lobo’s tech hadn’t detected Brainiac at all even when he scanned the corpse, and in his rage he had attacked Seg with his chain, the hook flying towards him at such speed that neither you nor Adam had had any time to react.

You’d thought that was it, that Seg was going to die and you and Adam would follow suite soon after. But Seg had reacted instinctively, thrusting out a hand and somehow telekinetically diverted the path of the hook so that it buried itself in a nearby tree instead.

He looks down at his hands in surprise, eyes widening by the second. He looks at Adam, and then at you, but none of you have any idea what to say.

Lobo’s scanner skids through the grass, coming to a stop at Seg’s feet. Where it had been silent before however, it now whirs to life, flashing and beeping madly.

Lobo looks triumphant as he approaches.

“Well, well, well,” he says with a dark chuckle, “how about that for a fraggin’ twist? Looks like Brainiac...is in you...” he says, the unspoken threat obvious in every word. You do your best to ignore the suggestive gesture that he is making with his hands as this new information sinks into your brain.

You had known there was something wrong with Seg before, but you hadn’t wanted to give voice to the thought, in case you made it come true. But it had done so even without your input – somehow, even in death, Brainiac was putting the people you love in danger.

Was he not content with stealing your friend from you for six months, now he has to take Seg’s very body out from under him? How long do you have before you lose Seg forever?

Not that you have time to contemplate that for long – there’s a more clear and present danger in front of you, as a furious Lobo retracts his chain, winding the links through his fingers as he begins to strafe you, a predator circling his prey.

You, Adam, and Seg step in the opposite direction, trying to keep some distance between you.

“Y’know what surprises me, Seagull? That Brainiac chose you for a camp ground. Honestly, I’d have bet on the hot blonde,” Lobo says, pointing at Adam.

“Leave him out of this!” you shout, and Lobo looks...almost amused.

“Touchy touchy. Guessing there’s more to you two than just a passing acquaintance, then? I bet it was fun for him, watching you drape yourself all over the Main Man? Course, once you have Lobo, you never want anything else again! Mostly because you’re dead, but y’know, it’s a good way to go out.”

“You’re disgusting,” you spit back. “You’re lucky I didn’t throw up all over you.”

“Kinky,” Lobo says with another nasty grin, drawing his weapon and taking aim at the three of you.

Seg’s arm snaps out, almost of it’s own accord, dislodging the blaster from Lobo’s hand and sending it flying in the opposite direction.

“How’d you do that?” Adam asks with a triumphant grin. You feel your own face copying him; even if Seg’s powers are coming from a terrible source, right now they might be your only hope of getting out of this alive.

Plus, you have to admit, they’re pretty damn cool.

_Uh, I think I have telekinetic powers!_ Seg’s voice echoes in your mind in answer to Adam’s question, and your amazement at his new abilities only grows.

Adam sticks a finger in his ear and waggles it, only to look back in astonishment at Seg instead. “Your lips didn’t move!”

_Holy shit, I have telepathy too?_

Seg’s happiness soon fades as Lobo backhands him across the face and launches him backwards. 

Adam steps up instinctively, throwing a punch that would have knocked the wind out of any normal Kryptonian at Lobo’s ribs.

Unfortunately, Czarnians seems to be made of sterner stuff, and Adam bounces off harmlessly, cradling his hand.

“Really?” Lobo asks, shoving Adam square in the chest. He hits the ground, hard, and doesn’t move. 

Your first instinct is to run to him, to check that he is alright, but Lobo bars your path.

“Well, pretty? Still want to give the Main Man a kiss?” he asks, puckering his lips and pointing at them.

“I’d rather stick my head in a volcano.”

“That can be arranged,” he says sinisterly, and you have no doubt that Lobo can and will follow through on that threat.

You juke left, trying to skid past him and get to Adam, but Lobo is too fast. His fist flies out as you pass him, colliding with your jaw with a deafening crunch. 

You spin through the air and land hard, one hand flying to your face and then immediately pulling away as pain arcs through it. It’s not broken, but it’s definitely going to bruise.

Lobo looms over you, still giving you that horrible grin. You glare up at him in defiance; Rao be damned if you’re going to give him the satisfaction of seeing you afraid.

“Any last words?” Lobo asks.

“Your breath smells like something died in your mouth.”

Lobo breathes into his hand and sniffs, nose scrunching up in disgust. Then he shrugs and rears back to strike. 

You scythe your feet and lock them around one of his ankles. He may be immune to any kind of damage you can throw at him, but he still needs to balance, and the pressure you apply visibly staggers him. He topples over backwards, giving you just enough time to scramble to your feet and back away from him.

Adam’s still out cold; you put yourself between him and Lobo. If he wants Adam, he’ll have to go through you first. 

You probably won’t slow him down much, but you have to at least try. Thankfully, he doesn’t even get to make an attempt.

“Over here! I’m the one you want!” Seg shouts, motioning to Lobo who begins looking between the two of you, fury radiating off of him like a heat aura.

“Once I’ve ripped little Seagull’s head off, I’m coming back for you,” Lobo promises. “Oh, the fraggin’ things I’ve got in store...”

“Lobo!” Seg shouts again, and Lobo roars in response, bounding over to face him.

You risk one quick glance at Seg, before dropping to Adam’s side and rolling him over. He winces, and begins to come around.

“God, feels like I went out on a bender with Oliver, without the fun part,” he groans, pulling himself into a sitting position. 

“This is bad, Adam. Really bad. If Seg can’t stop him, I don’t know how we’re going to get out of this.”

As you watch, Seg begins to get the upper hand. He lashes out at Lobo, driving his palm into the Czarnian’s stomach and sending him flying. 

Your heart fills with dread as he runs over to continue his attack however; Seg’s eyes are pools of black, eerily familiar. Brainiac’s hold must be getting stronger.

“We’ve got to find some way to ditch him, then get back to the river and find my Zeta-Beam device,” Adam says, struggling to his feet. “Then we can teleport off this stupid rock and leave him in our dust.”

“Easier said than done, I think. And we’re not going anywhere without Seg!” You point frantically over at your brother, who is now entirely at Lobo’s mercy. Brainiac’s powers must have failed him, because Lobo is now straddling him and raining brutal punches down onto his face. 

As you watch, Lobo takes a serrated knife and raises it above his head, ready to plunge it deep into Seg’s skull.

You have to do something. Anything. There’s no way you’re going to let Seg die. Thankfully, you spot something nestled beside you in the grass that can turn the tide.

“Adam!” you shout, scooping Lobo’s weapon off of the ground and tossing it across the clearing towards him. Like a seasoned pro, Adam plucks the gun from the air and points it directly at Lobo, firing. The kickback nearly knocks Adam off his feet, but he stands firm, looking every bit the hero as the pulse blast tears through the air like a comet and collides squarely with Lobo’s torso.

You tilt your head slightly, looking through Lobo and out at the trees behind him. The pulse blast has torn a hole right through him.

“Ouch,” Lobo murmurs, looking down in confusion before sliding sideways and collapsing.

You and Adam race over, each grabbing one of Seg’s arms and pulling him off the ground.

Seg gags, spitting green liquid onto the ground. It visibly fizzes on contact. 

“I think I got some Lobo juice in my mouth!” he says, wiping his hand across his lips to remove any vestiges of the vile liquid.

“You’re welcome!” Adam says, clapping him on the shoulder.

“I’m really, really glad I didn’t kiss him now,” you add.

You all share a victorious smile, but a disgusting noise draws your attention back to Lobo’s corpse, the sound of flesh and bone knitting back together at an intense speed.

You hold a hand over your mouth, not sure whether you’re going to be sick or not. “What in Rao’s name?”

“That’s gross,” Seg observes. “Why is it doing that?”

“Oh, yeah, that.” You both turn to Adam expectantly. “He’s got this...healing factor thingy. He’ll be brand-spanking new in-”

“3.14 minutes,” Seg finishes for him.

You both stare at him; the adrenaline of battle may have temporarily made you forget, but that impossible calculation is a good reminder of Brainiac’s presence in Seg’s head. Yet another problem you need to solve.

Which you can’t do if Lobo gets back up and kills you all.

“Guys...” you say, slowly backing away.

“Okay. Okay,” Adam says, following.

Seg however barrels past you at top speed. “Yeah, shut up and run!” 

That’s probably the best plan you’ve heard all day.

*********

“Okay Adam, intel time,” you say between breaths. The three of you are heading back towards the river to look for Adam’s Zeta-Beam device, the sounds of a very angry Lobo reverberating through the forest as he quite literally pulls himself back together again to come after you all.

“You mean Lobo? I mean, I’ve never met the guy myself, it’s mostly just second hand stuff.”

“Justice League water cooler talk?” Seg asks, and you stifle a laugh.

“Something like that, yeah!” 

You stop for a moment, consulting the Zeta-Beam device in your hand and looking around. The display flashes with two dots, one in the centre, and one slightly off to the right. You’re nearly there.

You point in a different direction and take off again. “This way, come on.”

The sound of quick footsteps from behind reach your ears, and Adam draws level with you as he starts talking. “Most of what he said back there pretty much covers it - Lobo’s a bounty hunter. Last of his kind, because he murdered the rest of them. Likes space dolphins, for some reason.”

A very large part of you wants to ask about that. You decide to save it for later, when you’re in a less life-threatening situation, and opt instead for something else. “Does he flirt with everyone, or are we just all his type?”

Adam shakes his head and shrugs. “I guess when you’re the last of your kind, you’d start looking for any kind of good time to make you forget about that fact.”

“We’re here, I think,” Seg says as a river indeed comes into view. Your Zeta-Beam device confirms it – the two dots are blinking right on top of each other.

The river doesn’t run very fast, and Zeta-Beam devices are pretty heavy, so hopefully Adam’s won’t have gone too far. You all drop to your knees and start looking at the surface, trying to find it.

Adam’s words do make you think, though. He’s the last of his race now. That’s something he’ll have to deal with, even if he doesn’t want to admit it. If you can’t fix the timeline, he might be the last human left in the galaxy.

If that’s the case, will he want to spend the rest of his life with you?

That’s a conversation to have another time, as well. This isn’t the first time you’ve worried about how insignificant you might be in the grand scheme of things, and even though Adam has reassured you before, that doesn’t mean you don’t still think about it.

Your free hand, the one that isn’t swiping the river’s surface to see if you can find Adam’s Zeta-Beam device, goes into your pocket and draws your own back out.

You stop what you’re doing and look down at it. This little piece of technology has done so much for you. Has brought you back together with the two people you care most about in the entire universe. 

Maybe it’s brought you to this point for a reason. Maybe now your part is done.

“Guys, you should take this,” you say, your mind made up. You hold your Zeta-Beam device out to Adam and Seg, not looking at them for fear of your resolve breaking.

“What? Did you find it?” Seg asks, but Adam shakes his head.

“That was a gift,” he tells you. “You’re not giving it back. Especially not now.”

“Wait, there are two Zeta-Beam devices? Where did that one come from?”

“Adam had a copy made, back on Krypton,” you explain, still not looking, hand still outstretched. “I used this one to go and find him, after you were trapped in the Phantom Zone, and I used it to trace the signal of his back here.

“We’ve recalibrated them recently, so they can carry two people at once. So you guys should take this one, get back to Krypton, go save everything. I’ll stay here and keeping looking for Adam’s.”

“Absolutely not,” Adam says softly. His hand covers yours, closing your fingers over your Zeta-Beam device and pushing it back towards you. “That’s yours. It’s always going to be yours.”

“But, you and Seg, you’ve got so much work to do-” you begin, finally looking up and losing your breath as you meet Adam’s eyes, his mysterious pale blue eyes. He’s looking at you with such affection that you can’t bring yourself to continue. How you could have ever thought, even for a moment, that he’d want to leave you when he looks at you like that?

“And so do you,” Adam says. “We do everything together, right? That means we get off this planet, and we go save Krypton, together. I’m not leaving you behind, no matter what.”

“And neither am I,” Seg adds. “You came all this way to save me. Els don’t give up, remember? And we don’t leave anyone behind. Especially not with psycho Czarnians on the loose.”

You look from Adam to Seg and back again, before looking down at your Zeta-Beam device.

They’re right, of course. You can’t stay here with Lobo. You can’t stay here at all. And if the roles were reversed, if one of them was offering to stay so that you could go, you wouldn’t agree to it either.

“Alright, I get it. It was a bad idea.” You try and downplay it, but you know that your little moment of weakness has betrayed your low opinion of yourself. No doubt Adam will have words for you, assuming you get out of this alive.

But Seg is right – Els don’t leave each other behind. So when he tells you that he can’t go back to Krypton with Brainiac still in his head, your response is obvious.

“Okay...” Adam tells him. “We’ll figure a way to get Brainiac out of you.”

“Exactly. This is his planet. There has to be some tech around here we can use to...extract him, or something.” You look around at the trees, but none of them offer any answers.

You try to sound upbeat and optimistic, but your acting skills are put to the test when Seg tells you that, if you can’t save him from Brainiac’s control, you’re going to have to kill him.

Even as he says this, his eyes begin to grow blacker and blacker, the few hours that he estimated he has left dwindling away by the second.

You’ve sworn to do anything to save Krypton, to restore the timeline and put everything back as it should be. Whatever you have to do, you’ll do it. That’s the oath you’ve pledged yourself to.

But, even knowing that it could be the only way to do all of that, are you capable of killing your own brother?


	3. Strange Extraction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Set during the events of Krypton 02x03 - Will To Power

Breath tears into your lungs like razors as you inhale, desperate for air and yet dreading the pain that you know each breath will bring.

You’re lagging behind. Ahead of you Seg and Adam are still running, although it doesn’t look like Adam will be able to keep up this pace much longer either. His path is erratic, and you can hear his ragged breaths, which sound almost as painful as yours feel.

Seg meanwhile is powering ahead without stopping, the same steady, intense pace as when you started however long ago.

You find one last burst of speed somewhere deep within you and manage to tap Adam square in the back. He takes one look at you and slows to a stop, bending over double, hands on his knees as he fights for air.

You drop to the floor, flat on your back, staring up through the canopy of the trees as the pain in your chest slowly begins to subside.

“This is ridiculous,” Adam says, flopping down next to you. “We can’t keep on like this.”

“It’s not like we can stop for long. Lobo’s not going to be far behind.”

“But we’ve got no plan – running away’s great, but eventually he’s going to catch us. Well, maybe not Super-Seg over there,” Adam gestures through the trees at the slowly diminishing figure, “but we’re going to be sitting ducks.”

“I’ll be okay in a second,” you lie, the very thought of more running enough to make you sweat again. Your clothes are already slick and uncomfortable and, now that they’ve been given a slight reprieve, your legs are beginning to cramp as well.

But before you can take off once again, at whatever pace you can manage, you have to ask Adam something. Something you couldn’t ask while Seg was in earshot.

You roll sideways and look up at him. He’s seated with his legs up, arms leaning on his knees and his head down between them, taking in slow, laborious breaths.

“Adam.” 

He cocks his head sideways so all that you can see is one eye. He murmurs in response, to let you know that he’s listening.

“What Seg said, about...about how we can’t go back to Krypton while Brainiac’s inside him. Are we really going to do what he’s asking us to do? I don’t think I can-”

“Kill him?” Adam interrupts. “Nope, not a chance. Not happening. Absolutely not.”

You’re almost surprised. Given how trigger-happy Adam had been before when it came to saving the timeline, you thought he might have at least considered it for a second, but instead, here you are. It shows you how far he’s come, how much he has grown to care about you all.

“I’m so glad you said that,” you admit. “I can’t do that, no matter what it means for the future, or for Krypton. I can’t kill my brother.”

“And I can’t kill my best friend, so that’s settled.”

“I don’t think Seg will agree.” You look quickly through the trees; Seg has stopped, but you can tell from his posture that he won’t wait for long. His arms are crossed, and although he’s quite far away, you could swear that his eyes are blacker than they’ve ever been. 

You’re running out of time.

“Frankly, I don’t care what Seg thinks,” Adam tells you firmly, as if you’d ever think of disagreeing. “We’re not killing him, and that’s the end of it. It’s just not an option. And we could do with some more of those right now – like I said, running is great, but it’s not a permanent solution for anything.”

You sigh with relief, the razors in your lungs slightly less painful than before. “If we run for too much longer, I might just ask Lobo to cut off my legs so I can have a proper sit down.”

You clamber to your feet. They scream in protest, but you silence them as best you can. You offer Adam a hand and drag him up beside you, and then take off at a light jog to catch up with Seg.

Or what’s left of Seg, anyway. You only spent a brief amount of time with Brainiac, but you’ve known Seg nearly your entire life. You can tell when he’s not himself, and he’s definitely not right now.

His posture is different, his general demeanour, and even the way he speaks is becoming more and more...robotic, more and more like Brainiac with every passing minute. 

As you catch up with him, this is more evident than ever.

“As soon as Lobo regenerates,” Seg says, his tone clipped and to the point, “he will find and dismantle us.”

He says it with little to no inflection, as if the fact that someone might be about to murder you all is mostly just inconvenient rather than life-threatening.

Adam launches into a tirade, trying to convince Seg that you need a new plan, that you can’t just keep running forever. Seg, or Brainiac, or whoever is in control right now, doesn’t seem to agree.

“Adam, you are wasting valuable time!” he snaps, but Adam stands fast.

“What I have to say is worth it, okay? Now, I know that you’re not gunna Zeta-Beam back to Krypton with Brainiac inside you. And I understand that having Brainiac inside you is probably...uncomfortable. Annoying? More annoyin-”

“Adam!”

“Just let me finish! If we can’t find a way to get Brainiac out of you, then we don’t go back to Krypton., and I get that, okay? But Seg, killing you, like you so...Brainiac-ly suggested...it’s not gunna happen, man.”

Seg looks from Adam to you. You’re not sure what he’s looking for – his face is entirely impassive. If he’s expecting a different answer from you, he’s not going to get it.

“Adam’s right, Seg. We’ll think of something. We didn’t come all this way just to lose you now. You said it yourself, we don’t leave people behind, and we don’t give up hope. So that’s what we’re doing now, whether you, or Brainiac, like it or not.”

Just then, as if in response to your words, Seg begins to seize, his entire body shaking. His eyes clear, just for a moment, and he seems to be the Seg you know and love once more. 

But it doesn’t last. He whispers Adam’s name and then stands rigid, as if someone has hit him with a Sagitari shock stick. His eyes are empty black pools of nothingness.

“Seg!” You grab his shoulders and shake him where he stands. He only wobbles slightly. 

“Adam, what’s going on?” you ask. The idea that Adam will know more about being possessed by a twelfth level intellect from another planet than you do is laughable, but you don’t know what else to do.

“I don’t know!” he shouts back, frantic. He snaps his fingers in front of Seg’s eyes, but there’s no response. It’s as if his body is vacant, while the two minds fighting to occupy it have retreated out of the battleground to regroup.

“We have to do something!”

As Adam looks at Seg, who remains completely motionless, the panic seems to drain from his voice, becoming resignation. “I don’t think there’s anything we can do,” he tells you sadly, peering into Seg’s eyes as if he might be able to see the battle raging within. “I think this is a fight only Seg can win.”

You’re not as ready to accept that, however. “So we’re just supposed to stand here and wait?”

“That’s all we can do. And hope. Hope Seg is as strong as we think he is, and that he’ll show Brainiac who’s boss.”

“I don’t need hope for that; I know he is.” You grab Seg’s hand tightly, feeling your jaw clench in defiance. He’s the strongest person I know, and there’s no way he’ll let Brainiac win.” 

“On a normal day, yeah, me too. But we’ve got a time limit, in case you forgot. If Lobo finds us, we’re all toast, no matter how strong Seg is.”

Rao, you’d forgotten about that. You squeeze Seg’s hand even tighter, willing him to hear you as you whisper, “Come on, Seg. Come on!”

“Buddy, I’m kind of freakin’ out here,” Adam says to Seg’s immobile body. “You can’t just do this when we got-”

Seg shocks back to life with a jolt, a drowning man taking his first gasp of air. He tumbles forward, but you and Adam prop him up between you as he breathes, almost as if all the super-powered running he’s been doing has caught up to him all at once.

“Seg! Seg, are you alright? What happened?”

“I was...I was inside my head, and Brainiac was there. But at the same time, I was inside Brainiac’s head, and it was-”

“That’s really weird and like, so confusing,” Adam says, but you smack him in the shoulder.

“Let him speak, Adam!”

Adam rolls his eyes, but remains silent.

“I know, it doesn’t make sense,” Seg admits, “but just try and stay with me.”

“Do your best, Seg. We’re listening.”

“Brainiac needs me,” Seg says, a smile that says he has a plan spreading rapidly across his bearded face. “He’s weak. He needs an organic host so that he can strip it for parts and repair himself.

“You were right. This isn’t like Rhom, this isn’t like the Voice of Rao. I’m not a sentry. Brainiac doesn’t control me, at least not yet.”

“I’m smelling a big, hairy ‘but’ coming up,” Adam says, invoking another slap on the shoulder from you.

“Adam, for Rao’s sake!”

“No, Adam’s right,” Seg says, but his smile doesn’t diminish in the slightest. “Brainiac doesn’t control me, but he will eventually, except that’s not gunna happen, see? Because while Brainiac has access to my mind, and my memories, I have access to his mind, his memories.”

“Hell yeah!” 

You let Adam off without hitting him this time, hope blossoming in your chest where despair had been growing for quite a while before. “Does that mean what I think it means, Seg?”

“I know what we have to do. I know how to beat Brainiac!” Seg’s feeling of triumph is infectious, to the point that even when he begins to run back through the forest once again, you barely even notice when your legs start to complain.

You have a goal now. There’s an end in sight. It’s a lot easier to hope when you’ve got something to hope for, rather than just hoping in general. 

Seg truly is a wonder – even when he’s the one experiencing his darkest hour, potentially losing his very identity, he’s still the one managing to inspire hope in you. 

Just as you’d expect from an El.

Adam however finds time to grumble. “Well, I had a plan too, but we can go with yours.”

“And what was your plan?” you ask him innocently, knowing full well that he was just as clueless as you.

Adam doesn’t miss a beat though. “I was gunna suggest we both stick our fingers in Seg’s ears and pull real hard, see if we can dislodged Brainiac that way. But I’m sure whatever Seg wants to do will be just as good.”

“Probably better.”

“Eh, I wouldn’t go that far.”

*********

It turns out Seg’s plan is actually pretty bad. It’s full of unknowns, and it relies far too much on Coluan technology that none of you understand properly. As Adam so succinctly put it, it’s a great plan, apart from the parts that suck.

Having a plan has meant that you can slow down just a little however. You’re still walking pretty briskly, but it’s nowhere near as demanding on your body, and you’re able to keep pace with Adam and Seg much easier now.

You sense that Seg wants to pull ahead, but there’s a hesitation there now that wasn’t there before – maybe spending all that time talking to Brainiac in his mind has made him wary of relying on his new abilities, in case they give Brainiac more of a foothold to take control.

You can’t say that you blame him. It’s hard enough having one person in your head some days, having someone else in there fighting you for control must be excruciating.

You sidle up to Seg, giving Adam a glance when he fires you a look of concern so quick that only you would know to look for it. You know what you’re doing, you try to tell him without words. You just need to talk to your brother for a minute.

Adam doesn’t argue, and tactfully drops back a few feet. He’s not entirely out of earshot, but he’s giving you at least the illusion of privacy. It’s so quiet on this planet that he’d have to be half a world away to even have a chance of not hearing everything.

“If you’ve come to ask me how I’m feeling, I might just scream,” Seg says before you’ve even opened your mouth.

“Don’t do that, Lobo might find us.”

“Ah yes, the second most life-threatening thing on this supposedly uninhabited planet.”

“You take me to all the best places, Seg.”

The two of you laugh then, short and sharp, but it’s genuine. Gallows humour is still humour after all.

“Anyway, I don’t need to ask you how you’re doing – I can tell,” you say. 

Seg looks over at you quizzically. “Am I that obvious?”

“Nah, not really. I just know you. I know that even if you’re in pain, or hurting, you won’t let on. You’re too worried about keeping everyone else positive that you don’t worry enough about yourself.”

“I’m pretty sure you and Adam are worrying enough for me,” he says, and he’s not wrong, but that’s not the point.

“You’re so good, Seg. You’re...oh Rao, this is embarrassing.” You look away, afraid of how your face might betray you by blushing when your next words are going to be some of the most sincere you’ve ever spoken.

“You clearly have something you want to say to me,” Seg says, perceptive as ever. “You know you can tell me anything, so just say it. Although if it’s some ‘if you die, I want you to know this’ kind of deal, it can wait. I’m not going anywhere, not now that we have a plan.”

“And that’s just it!” you exclaim. “You’re the one in the most danger, and you’re the one with the plan. You’re so...inspiring. I’ve spent so long with Adam, hearing him talk about Superman and all the other heroes in his Justice League, that I can’t believe I never noticed it before.”

“What are you talking about?” Seg asks, a frown developing on his brow now.

“You’re a...you’re a hero too, Seg. Even if you don’t realise it.”

The frown turns to confusion instantly. “What in Krypton’s name are you on about?”

“Rao, I’m bad at this.” You stop, taking a deep breath as you try to order your thoughts. 

“Okay, look. You’re facing something impossible to imagine, and impossible to prepare for. You’ve had ample opportunities to give up, to say ‘this is too hard’, to give your burden to someone else and let them handle it. Rao, when Adam first showed up, you could have told him to stuff it all, and let him try and save Krypton all on his own.”

“No, I couldn’t,” Seg says, not realising he’s making your point for you. “That was never an option.”

You shake your head in sad disbelief at how dense Seg can be. It’s almost adorable. “But it was an option, Seg. It just never entered your head to consider it. And it never would. Because that’s just the type of person you are. You’re kind, and you’re brave, and you’re loyal, and even if you make mistakes, you do your best to keep fighting, to keep doing what’s best for everyone, even if it means the worst for you.

“You were literally asking us to kill you, if it meant stopping Brainiac and saving Krypton. How much more selfless can you get?”

Seg has gone quiet now, unused to this level of praise, which makes it easier for you to continue; you’re not sure if you’d be able to finish if you were stopped at this point.

“What I’m trying to say is, you’re a hero, Seg. You may not have super powers, or not always, anyway, and you may not have a cape or a fancy costume like all the weirdos in Adam’s stories, but you’re a hero nonetheless.

“And you’re the kind of hero I want to be. You’re my hero, Seg.”

Seg isn’t sure what to say. Neither are you. He smiles awkwardly, which you return, and then you drop back towards Adam, letting your sentiments sit.

“Nailed it,” Adam says as you fall in step beside him. “Inspirational speeches are your superpower, that’s for sure.”

“You heard all that?” you ask, knowing full well that he did. If anyone had asked you, you’d say your superpower was super-blushing, you think as your cheeks finally begin to burn. At least they’d waited until you were finished talking to Seg.

“Enough of it to get the gist. It’s very quiet out here, y’know.”

You squirm with embarrassment, unable to form words now, having spent them all on Seg.

“Hey, it’s okay,” Adam says, one hand on your shoulder. “I get it. He’s your hero.”

You stare at him for a moment, still not sure what to say, when his facade cracks and he grins stupidly at you.

“You arsehole!” you say, slapping at his hand.

“I get it, I’m just second best, it’s fine,” Adam mocks, pretending to be offended, wiping a faux-tear from his eye. “Not like I’m an actual superhero or anything, I understand. Travelling back through time isn’t impressive or anything.”

“Are you jealous?” you ask, turning it around on him, your voice rising with amusement.

Adam pouts, deliberately avoiding your eyes. “Nope. Not at all. Not me. No way.”

“Seg’s my hero,” you tell him, leaning over and whispering in his ear, “but you’re my superhero.” He looks back, almost against his will, and you slip in through the crack in his defences and kiss him. 

You’re not sure when the last time you kissed was; it was probably the same as the last time you weren’t running for your life, or trying to get back home, or trying to rescue someone from something or other.

But it’s important to snatch these little moments of normalcy in amongst the madness, to remind yourself what you’re fighting for. It’s all well and good for Seg to inspire you, but you have your own goals to fight for as well, and it’s a kiss like this, stolen during all the chaos, that really hammers home just why you’re doing all the crazy things you’re doing.

“Guys,” Seg says, and you break apart hastily. You’re not worried that he’s seeing you kiss, and from the look on his face it’s the last thing he’s worried about either, but the tone of his voice tells you that something important is happening.

He points down towards a dark tunnel set between two rocks. To the untrained eye, they appear as if they’ve just fallen towards each other to form a natural corridor, but now that Seg has pointed them out it’s obvious that this is anything but natural.

“We’re here.”

*********

You’re about to follow Seg down into the natal chamber, or whatever gross name he’s given the room where Brainiac had first come into being, when the sound of Lobo screaming reaches your ears and freezes you in place.

“I’m comin’ for you, mother fraggers!”

“Okay, time to go,” Adam says, beginning to slide down the little hill towards the cave. But you’re not moving. Not yet.

“Keep Seg safe, Adam.” 

He stops, turning back awkwardly. “What? Come on, we don’t have time for this, he’s nearly here!”

You fix him with a familiar glare. “I’ll be along soon. I’ll keep him busy for a bit, you get Seg hooked up and that arsehole out of his head.”

“But-”

“You said it yourself,” you say with a wry smile, “there’s no time to argue. I’ll be alright, I promise.”

Adam looks crestfallen, and reaches out to take your hand. You give it to him, but you keep your feet planted, in case he tries to pull you down with him.

“Are you just trying to be a hero now? Trying to upstage me and Seg?” he asks, only half-joking. 

You shake your head. “You know I’m not that reckless, Adam. Lobo’s dangerous, and I wouldn’t be going out there if I didn’t have a plan.”

Adam nods, trying to seem satisfied with that, but his face betrays further worry. “What happened to always staying together?” he asks quietly.

“I’m not going far, I swear. Do you trust me?”

To Adam’s credit, he doesn’t hesitate. “Of course I do.”

“Then trust me now, and wish me luck. I’ll be back with you soon enough.”

“Good luck. Don’t get killed.” And then, somehow even more seriously than telling you not to get killed, he adds, “And no more flirting with him!”

You shiver in disgust at the very thought of it. “I’ll do my best.”

And with that he releases your hand and slides down into the hole. You watch him go. He doesn’t look back.

Then you set off into the forest, against all your base instincts, heading right towards Lobo’s voice.

It doesn’t take you long to find him. He’s entirely regenerated now, and his red eyes are blazing with anger, two pinpricks of blood in his grey face.

“Well, well, well. They send you out as a sacrifice? Trying to get the Main Man to back off?” he asks, licking his lips.

“Nah, they just knew I could handle you, so they didn’t want to waste their time,” you shoot back. Hopefully your legs can be as fast as your tongue.

Lobo begins to circle you as he did before, but you’re ready for him, matching every step of his with one of your own.

“You know, all that love you have in your heart? It makes you weak,” Lobo spits. “Don’t look so shocked – I know your kind; you rely on other people to prop you up, to make you better, when really you’re just a drain on ‘em. You know what you are, sweetheart? You’re a parasite, and those other two would be better off without you.”

“I’ve been called worse,” you lie. If you had space in your mind right now, you might be hurt by his barbs. But as it is, your brain is ninety percent panic and ten percent worry, so you don’t really have time to digest them just yet. Lobo seems to realise this himself, and changes tactic.

“Still wanna kiss that volcano? Or maybe you’ve changed your mind, and you wanna let the Main Man do the dirty?”

“I’m spoken for. And even if I wasn’t, there’s no chance I’d get with you. Rao knows what kind of diseases you’ve got crawling around in those pants.”

Lobo actually pulls his waistband forward, examining himself. He scratches the side of his head, doing some kind of mental calculation before looking up with a shrug. “I’m willing to risk it if you are.”

“Not even if Nightwing and Flamebird offered me eternal life.”

Lobo shrugs. “Your loss. Maybe your little boy toy will take me up on my offer, once I take you out of the equation.”

You try not to let that image invade your mind’s eye. “Adam’s twice the man you are.”

“You wanna make sure of that?” he asks, beginning to stalk towards you. Without replying, you turn on your heel and run, even faster than you have before. Your legs burn, your joints ache, but it’s nothing compared to the pain Lobo will no doubt visit upon you if he catches up; adrenaline floods your system as you bob and weave through the trees, the only thing keeping you alive right now.

You have a destination in mind – you spotted it earlier when you were running, and all you have to do is reach it before Lobo does. 

It sounds so easy in your head.

“Run, run, run, as fast as you can! You can’t out-race me, because I’m the Main Man!” Lobo shouts, so close that you imagine that you can feel his breath on the back of your neck. 

You find an extra burst of speed somewhere and skid around a corner, your destination in sight.

“Aww, dead end. Emphasis on the dead, sweet thing,” Lobo says. 

And he’s right. 

You’ve stopped at the edge of a ravine, a substantial drop to your back, framed by two rocky walls that give you no hope of evading Lobo by running back the way you came. Two large trees have grown at the end of the corridor, one on either side, both on the verge of falling off the cliff, but clinging on with surprising strength.

You’ve trapped yourself between a murderous psychopath, and a drop that will shatter every bone in your body to pieces. You really hope you know what you’re doing.

“You gave me a merry little chase now,” Lobo says, advancing slowly. “But it’s time to give up. I’ll make it quick, mostly because you’re cute, and because I want to show your boyfriend your decapitated head when I go back and kill him.”

“You’re so kind.”

“Any last words?” Lobo asks, drawing his enormous knife and running his tongue along the edge.

“Look up, fragface.”

Lobo does so, whether instinctively or out of genuine curiosity you’re not sure, but it doesn’t matter. In that moment, you kick out and strike the closest tree as hard as you can. A vibration travels up it, just a tiny one, diminishing as it goes. 

For a few moments nothing happens, until suddenly everything does.

The vibration dislodges a precariously balanced tangle of vines from the tree, which plummet downwards right onto Lobo’s head, entwining him instantly.

“What the frag? That’s cheatin’!” he shouts, flailing out with his knife.

Before he can free himself however, you dart behind him and shove your hands into the small of his back. The vines have wrapped around his legs, and that’s enough to give you the leverage you need to send him toppling over the ravine with a scream.

“Motherfrag-” he begins, but his curse is cut off as he plummets. You listen for a few seconds before an extremely satisfying thump resounds through the forest, followed by a scream of anger.

That won’t hold him for long. But it’s a start. Without delay you set off back towards the natal chamber, hoping that Adam and Seg have been as successful in their venture as you have.

With some time to breathe, Lobo’s taunts now play out in your mind. A while ago you might have been hurt by them, or had your confidence shaken. But now you can dismiss them easily, because you know that they’re just not true.

Your relationships give you strength, not make you weak. The love you have for Adam, for Seg, gives you the drive you need to get things done. And they don’t think you’re weak – Adam wouldn’t have trusted you with his heart, and Seg with his name, if they did.

Those last thoughts especially make you smile.

Plus, Lobo was the one lying at the bottom of a cliff in pieces, so what did he know?

*********

You weren’t sure what to expect when Seg told you about the natal chamber, but it certainly wasn’t the sight that greets you when you arrive back at the cavern.

It appears to be hewn straight into the rock of the planet, a sterile white room that’s entirely featureless aside from the circular chair that Seg is slumped over in, and the mass of tentacles not dissimilar to the vines you just tangled Lobo in that have descended from the ceiling and plugged directly into the back of his head.

Adam’s standing next to him, looking distressed, but there’s nothing for him to do now, no screens to monitor, no visible signs as to how far through the process Seg is.

It’s all up to Seg now – he is the one who has to defeat Brainiac and purge him from his mind, and there’s nothing further you can do to help.

“Hey,” Adam says distractedly. “Not dead then?”

“Not so far,” you reply, catching your breath and leaning on one of the featureless walls. Something depresses beneath your hand, and there’s a faint sound of static, but you can’t see any change to the room, and shrug it off. Probably nothing.

“Hero’s a good look on you,” Adam says, giving you an appreciative smile.

“I’ve been learning from the best.” You look from him to Seg and back. “Got that heroic self-sacrifice thing memorized.”

“Hey, none of that,” Adam warns. “We’ve had enough of that between the two of us, we don’t need you joining in.”

Before you can think of a suitable retort, a familiar voice reaches your ears and your heart sinks through the floor.

“I can smell your auras!” yells Lobo from somewhere very close by. Your trap hasn’t delayed him for half as long as you would have liked.

It isn’t long before he makes his way into the chamber. He looks almost perfectly unharmed, although you do feel a little satisfaction when you see the remains of a bird’s nest in his hair, and one of his legs slowly twisting back into the correct position. Maybe his little fall hurt him after all.

“Hey, uh...” Adam begins, not really knowing what to say. He backs up, looking to you, but you’re trapped. The natal chamber is a dead end, and the only thing you can do is try and talk your way out of this.

“Look, Lobo, about what just happened-”

“Frag off, ya son of a bastich!” he screams, and motions to attack, hook in hand.

You manage to move in front of Seg, linking hands with Adam just before Lobo yells in triumph, his arm darting out, and for the second time today you prepare yourself for the inevitable tearing sensation as his hook penetrates your body.

There’s a thump and a scream, and you open eyes that you hadn’t even realise you’d closed to see Lobo holding his right arm, now a severed stump, and screaming in pain instead of anger.

His wound has been cauterized, a clean slice that has left his forearm on the floor of the natal chamber, and the rest of him trapped on the outside. Between you fizzles a force shield separating the cavern from the natal chamber proper.

Maybe pressing that button earlier had had more of an effect than you’d first thought.

You’re not sure what to do now, though. On the one hand, you’re safe from Lobo behind the force shield. On the other he’s screaming bloody murder, and that’s very distracting.

As you watch however, his screams dissolve into laughter, and he waggles his stump, obviously not bothered.

“Oh, you tiny little turd. You just cut off my favourite limb!”

Adam however finds this hilarious, and laughs openly. You’re not sure if antagonizing Lobo is the best move, but it’s too late now.

“I’m so gunna go in there and make you pay,” Lobo vows.

“Well, that’s interesting. I’m wondering how you’re gunna get in here when...well, that,” Adam asks, motioning to the remains of Lobo’s forearm, chain still tied around its wrist. 

“Adam...” you warn, but he’s not listening.

“You should listen to your little friend there,” Lobo says, pointing off to one side.

You follow his gesture, and then almost jump out of your skin as Lobo’s detached hand moves of it’s own accord. The hand flips you the bird before pointing back at the rest of him.

Looking back, you see that Lobo has drawn his enormous gun. Does he think he can shoot his way through the force shield?

“I hope you’re not the squeamish type,” Lobo asks, then changes his mind. “Actually, I kinda do.”

You realise what he’s about to do a second before he does it. He points the blaster away from the force shield and instead blasts himself in the face. His head explodes in a shower of blood, meat, and bone, and his body hits the floor before your gasp has even left your mouth.

Adam is shaking when you reach him, and you wrap your arm around him. 

“It’s okay, hey, it’s alright. There’s nothing we could have done. And something tells me he’s done that before.”

“What did he think he was doing? How does shooting himself in the face help him get in here?” His tone is more shocked than scared, and you shrug in response.

It’s hard to feel bad for Lobo given everything he’s done to you so far, but it’s also hard to feel better about the fact that he seems to have committed suicide. There’s a thick sense of dread sitting in the pit of your stomach that tells you this isn’t the end of him, not by a long shot.

“Something tells me that we won’t like the answer to that question.”

*********

Your instincts were, unfortunately, right on the mark. Lobo’s regeneration is unpleasant to watch. His arm has slowly regrown the rest of his upper body and his face, and now he sits, on this side of the force shield, glaring up at you and Adam with even more murder in his eyes than usual, somehow.

For the first time in a while he’s quiet though, as his other arm begins to reform and he watches it with a detached interest; he probably has done this a million times or more after all.

“So, here's the thing,” Adam says, still trying to buy time. “Seg here is doing his best to also ‘shit out that green turd’ as well,” he explains, using Lobo’s colourful description. “So if you could just hang tight for a little bit, we can wrap this whole thing up.”

It’s a convincing argument. Lobo has only ever wanted to kill Brainiac anyway – you’ve just been getting in his way. Unfortunately, he’s anything but convinced.

“Yeah, that's not gunna happen, mate. It's cute, but it's not gunna happen. I'm done waiting, you see.”

“I don’t want to fight you, man. Not like this.” Adam gestures at...well, Lobo’s entire being. Lobo however doesn’t seem fazed.

Instead, he yanks on his chain, which has been laying dormant along the floor of the chamber all this time, catches it around Adam’s leg and drops him to the floor.

Then, to make matters even worse, Lobo draws himself up onto his palms and begins faux-walking across the room towards Adam, his slowly regenerating innards dangling beneath him like a disgusting trail of ribbons.

It’s such a peculiar sight that you don’t even move until Lobo is on top of Adam.

You want to fight back. You want to go over and throw Lobo’s disgusting half-formed body back through the force shield, but you know that, even in his current condition, you’d be no match for the Czarnian’s raw power. So instead, you do the next best thing – you go for superpowered reinforcements.

You drop to your knees beside Seg, taking hold of one of his hands.

He looks so peaceful, despite the mass of tendrils extending from the back of his head and the psychic battle that’s no doubt raging within his mind.

“I don’t know if you can hear me,” you whisper to him, one eye still on Lobo as he and Adam wrestle around the floor, “but I know you can do this, Seg. If anyone can show Brainiac what for, it’s you.

“I wasn’t lying when I said those things before. You’re my hero, Seg. You’ve always been my hero. You’ve been through so much in your life; you lost your grandparents, your parents, your House, everything you ever called yours was taken away from you.

“And then along came Daron-Vex and his little proposition, and even that threatened to take away the thing you loved most, to tear you away from Lyta even as it promised to give you back some of what you’d lost. The universe never seems to want to give you a break, does it?

“But through all that, and then through the Voice of Rao, through Zod, through Brainiac, and Doomsday, and all the rest of it, you’ve stayed strong. You’ve never let it break you. You’ve never given up hope.”

You’ve started crying at some point, tears of hope, of joy, of pride in your best friend, your brother, and your only hope of saving Adam. Your voice is rising into a yell, but it’s still hard to hear over the tussle that’s going on only a few feet away.

“You’re the strongest person I know, Seg-El, and I’m so proud that you wanted me as part of your family. I’ve loved you since the day I met you, and I love you even more now.”

“So do me a favour, okay Seg?” you ask him, leaning as close to his ear as you can. “Get your bloody arse in gear and save the day like you always do!”

“You’re so...soft!” Lobo is murmuring, his torso pinning Adam to the floor, both hands on either side of Adam’s skull.

“You’re so...mean!” Adam says through gritted teeth, his attempted insult transforming into a scream of pure pain as Lobo begins crushing his head with his bare hands.

“Adam!” You fly around the chair towards Lobo, intent on tackling him to the floor or kicking him across the room, whatever it takes to rescue Adam, when a commotion from behind you causes you to look back.

Seg’s eyes snap open and he droops sideways off the chair, taking in Lobo, Adam, and you with one glance.

“Adam?”

Seg clenches his fist, using the last vestiges of Brainiac’s stolen power to telekinetically launch Lobo off of Adam, pinballing him off the wall with a crash.

“Seg!” You envelope him in a hug and he winces as the tendrils still attached to the back of his head pull at him painfully. “I knew you could do it!”

“I had that all under control,” Adam groans as he pulls himself back to his feet.

“We know you did,” Seg says, with a knowing glance at you. “But a little back-up never hurt, right?”

Adam rolls his eyes, and grabs one of Seg’s outstretched hands as you take the other.

One moment Seg is flat on his back, and the next he’s on his feet, propped up between you and Adam. The tendrils tear away from him with a scream and behind you, somehow, Brainiac begins to re-materialize, a mass of tentacles taking his shape and then solidifying into a perfect copy of his artificial body, right down to his sickening green skin. 

His eyes are closed, but you’re on your guard instantly – you’ve been in the presence of this creature more than once, and you know not to underestimate him.

“Ha! You did it!”

“Adam!” Seg slaps Adam’s arm and looks behind you. You follow his gaze, and gasp as Lobo pulls himself back up from the floor and begins to advance again.

“Adam, we gotta go,” Seg says, slapping him urgently with each word. “We gotta go right now!”

Both you and Adam begin fumbling with your Zeta-Beam devices as Lobo closes the gap between you impossibly fast. The device is slick under your fingers, a cold sweat springing up over you and making it difficult to secure your hand on the correct buttons.   
You share a glance with Adam, and he nods – it’s time to go.

“So long, bitch!” Adam shouts as, in unison, the three of you flip Lobo the bird, the prismatic cage that signifies Zeta-Beam travel closing around you.

You wink out of existence, Lobo’s cry of anguish dissipating as the universe moves around you, and you cross the 19.138 light years between Colu and Krypton in an instant.

You’re all spat out a few feet in the air, and land in a snow bank with a crunch. You pull yourself up into a seated position, and throw a reckless grin over at Adam, who mirrors you as he realises where you are.

“Holy shit! I can’t believe it worked! It worked!” 

He clambers to his feet and runs forward where, far in the distance, Kandor sits, just waiting for you to return.

“Woo!” he shouts, punching the air. 

The snow swirls around you, and it’s bitterly cold, but your triumph numbs you to it as you smile wider than you think you’ve smiled in months.

“We’re back! We made it, Seg!”

But there’s no response.

“Seg?” Adam says, turning back as you look sideways. But Seg, who landed next to you, isn’t moving. 

“Seg?”

Adam runs back over as you flip Seg face up. His eyes are closed, and, although it’s hard to tell in this blizzard, it looks like he isn’t breathing.

“Adam!”

Adam holds both hands over Seg’s heart, pumping up and down with as much force as he can manage. “You can’t die on me now, man, come on!”

Time slows around you as that dread lurches out of your stomach and permeates your body like a virus. You want to be sick. You want to scream, and cry, and shout, and rage.

“Seg, come on, not now, not after everything you just did!” you shout, and Adam, whether in frustration or desperation you’re not sure, punches Seg in the chest like he’s pounding a drum.

Miraculously, it works. Seg shoots upright, coughing and spluttering as you wrap him in a hug.

“Rao, Seg, don’t scare me like that!” you tell him, smacking him on the back as Adam falls away, looking terrified. The dread recedes for now, back to whence it came; for how long, you’re not sure.

“I feel...weird,” Seg admits as you release him.

“Yeah, riding a Zeta-Beam ain’t for the weak of heart,” Adam says.

“No, no, really man, I feel like I was dead or something,” Seg replies.

“What? No, don’t be stupid Seg, you weren’t dead,” you tell him, knowing full well that your poker face is off it’s game.

Adam blusters something in response, but Seg overrides him angrily. “Was I dead?!”

“Maybe just a little bit!” Adam relents. “But I un-deaded you!”

“I don’t think that means what you think it means,” you tell him, but he’s a little busy. You wipe some snow from your face, taking some icicles from beneath your eyes as you do so – either Seg’s (albeit temporary) death or his resurrection has brought you to tears.

“Hey, look, we’re back! Okay, maybe we’re not in the heart of Kandor, but it’s not that far, right?”

Seg looks over at Kandor in the far distance, but his mind is understandably elsewhere.

“I can’t believe I was dead!”

“And I’m dead tired of hearing you talk about it!” Adam tells him, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

“Your bedside manner could do with some work, you know,” you tell him, but he waves you away. 

“That’s really not the point right now, don’t you think? Besides, we’ve got a lot of work to do! We’ve gotta defeat a tyrant, free a planet, remember?”

Seg looks, somehow even moreso than when you first saw him after his trip to the Phantom Zone, tired. Not just tired, but absolutely exhausted. 

“Again?”

“Hey. That’s what us superheroes do,” Adam says, and he looks not just at Seg, but to you as well, eyes lingering as his meaning becomes clear. “No days off.”

“Then let’s get to it,” Seg tells you both, his exhaustion not exactly melting away, but transforming almost entirely into determination.

Then you pull Seg to his feet, and begin your slow walk back through the Kandorian Outlands, the angry red glow of Kandor’s force shield illuminating your way home.

Home. That’s a strange concept, these days. Before meeting Adam, you’d been in Kandor your entire life, never even visited one of the other cities on the planet. And now here you were, having been to Colu, to Earth, and beyond. 

No, Kandor wasn’t really home, not any more. And yet, walking with Adam and Seg, you can’t help but feel like you are home nonetheless. Because home isn’t a place, not really. 

Home is where you can return whenever something bad happens. Home is somewhere you can rely on, somewhere people love you, and respect you, and care for you.

Adam and Seg are your home, and that thought warms your heart, even as you trudge through the freezing cold on your way back to Kandor. You don’t know what to expect when you get there; somewhere that was so familiar to you is now so unpredictable and unexpected.

But with your friends by your side, finally reunited, finally back on task? It doesn’t really matter what you find – you know that you can face it head on. After all, like Adam said – that’s what superheroes do.


	4. Strange Homecoming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Set during the events of Krypton 02x04 - Danger Close

After the relative silence of Colu, Krypton is louder than you ever thought possible. The howl of the wind as the snowstorm rages around you is deafening, the crunch of your boots in the snow somehow piercing through it against all reason. 

You hug yourself tighter as you make another loop of your makeshift camp. It’s your watch, so Adam and Seg are resting by a hastily built fire while you patrol the perimeter. 

You’re not sure what you might find, especially with visibility this low, but with Zod in control you’re not willing to take any chances; none of you are in any condition to fight if you run into the Sagitari.

The bitter cold keeps you focused, and you’ve lost all feeling in your legs at this point, so you can continue to walk without any input from the rest of your mind as if you’ve hit the auto-pilot button on your internal cockpit.

Kandor isn’t far now – it’s only an hour or so away, but you’ve all been worn down by the insanity of the last few days and you don’t want to wander into a potentially hostile environment with no energy.

The dome looms ever closer, the colour of spilled blood, tantalizingly close. 

And yet, despite that, despite all you’ve already been through on Colu, you can’t help but feel like this is the calm before the true storm – when you get back to Kandor, things are going to get even more insane.

You stop, just for a moment, as the wind dies down momentarily. The snow stops buffeting your face like lashes from a whip and starts to fall vertically for the first time since the storm started. For a brief second, everything is at peace. 

And then an impossible roar reaches your ears, an awful, guttural sound that no Kryptonian could have made. It sends a chill down your spine in spite of the freezing conditions, and you want to run as far and as fast as you can, but you wouldn’t even know which way to start running – the sound comes from all around, everywhere and yet nowhere at all.

The feeling of horror that grips you feels terribly familiar. But it’s impossible. That thing can’t be here, surely. There’s no way.

You turn on your heel and bolt back to the camp, sliding in the snow as you stop and nearly falling flat on your back.

“Hey, hey, whoa! What’s the matter?” Adam asks, getting to his feet and coming towards you. Seg looks up in confusion, but says nothing.

You collapse next to the campfire, shaking from fear as much as the cold, and Adam wraps a warm arm around your shoulder. “Is it Zod? Is he coming?”

Through chattering teeth, you manage to speak. “Didn’t you hear that?”

Adam and Seg exchange confused looks, and both shrug. 

“No? All we can hear is the wind. We can barely hear each other!”

You close your eyes, but all you can see when you do that is its face, its horrible, horrible face.

“I thought I heard...no, never mind. I must have imagined it. I’m just tired, my ears are playing tricks on me.” You wish you felt even half as confident as you sound.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Adam’s body is blanketed in concern in much the same way as the snow blankets your surroundings; it’s everywhere you look, his entire being covered in it, from the worry lines on his brow to the way his body curves towards your instinctively, protectively.

“I’m fine, honestly. Can we just go? The quicker we’re back in Kandor, the safer we’ll be.” 

“We were just about to set off again,” Seg tells you. At some point he’s crept over from the other side of the campfire, and he shares a glance with Adam that you can’t interpret. Is it worry? Or something else?

“Okay, good. Good. Let’s go.” You go to get to your feet, but Adam leans his weight on you, keeping you down by the fire.

“We can wait a while though, if you need to rest.”

“No, I’m fine. If you guys are okay, then so am I.”

You give Adam a reluctant smile, hoping that you appear convincing. It must be enough as he nods and helps you up.

“Let’s go home,” Seg says, tamping out the campfire with his foot. Then the three of you set off across the snowfields for hopefully the final time, Kandor’s dome growing ever closer with each step, its relative safety a blessing compared to the conditions out here. You’d rather fight an entire squadron of Sagitari than be out here in the cold for much longer.

Even if you’re a wanted fugitive, at least you’ll be warm. And you’ll feel much safer with a force shield keeping you in rather than out.

Because that sound, that monstrous howling, wasn’t the wind. You only know one thing that could make a noise like that, and you’d hoped that you’d never have to see it again.

You’ve faced down Brainiac, you’ve battled General Zod, and now you can add Lobo to that list. But they all pale in comparison to the sheer hatred that radiates from the creature that you know without a doubt made that noise.

For all their terrible deeds, your other enemies all have motivations, selfish needs and desires that drive them. They can be reasoned with, tricked, outsmarted. But this creature is nothing like that. Even asleep, the only time you’ve ever seen it, you know that it is nothing but pure, unfettered rage and destruction.

You hope you’re wrong. You hope that your terrible feeling is simply that – a feeling. Just a result of exhaustion and hunger and your mind finally reaching its limit.

Because there’s no way Doomsday can be loose this close to Kandor...can there?

****

*********

You hadn’t been back to Kandor for very long before. Your short trip with Adam prior to your visit to Colu was fleeting, and you hadn’t really had time to take into account how different it really was before you’d been swept up by Jax-Ur and Val.

So now, with a little time to catch your breath, the wrongness of the place hits you like a drunken punch in a bar fight. You walk through the old Rankless sector, eyes wide with confusion and sorrow. Your home, the place you had spent your entire life up until a few months ago, is so very different.

The layout is the same, for the most part. Most of your little shortcuts and scenic routes seem to still be in place at first glance, but a layout isn’t the soul of a place. You can put things in the same configuration, but that doesn’t make the place the same.

Before, the Rankless sector was dark and dull, often dirty, but never neglected; those who lived there did their best to look after it, but that didn’t stop the Sagitari from tromping about the place with their filthy boots. For all its faults though, the place felt real, like every corner had a story and every scar in the wall had a tale.

Now though, the walls are gleaming steel, the floors newly panelled; everywhere you look shines, perfect and unblemished. It’s meant to look clean and happy, but it just comes across as sterile and unwelcoming. The Sagitari still stomp through it, but now they actually own the place, instead of just acting as though they do.

For all its problems, there was a charm to the Rankless sector that you know is gone now, and that you’ll never be able to recover.

Seg seems to feel the same way. He and Adam have been talking while you gawk, discussing your next moves. You’ve been half-listening, keeping one eye and one ear on them and the others on your surroundings. Most Sagitari probably wouldn’t know the three of you by sight, but you didn’t want to take a chance.

“If I don’t hear from you by tomorrow, I’m coming back here,” Adam is saying as you rejoin the conversation, satisfied that you’re not being observed or overheard. It’s not a threat so much as a promise.

“Hey, uh, I just wanna let you know that I’m really grateful,” Seg replies, his eyes flicking between you and Adam, making sure that you know his words are meant for you both. “For everything. You got me home. So...thank you.”

“That’s what friends are for, Seg. Travelling halfway across the universe to rescue each other,” you tell him with a grin, which he returns gratefully.

Adam meanwhile doesn’t seem to know how to take the compliment. He’s smiling, although it’s as if his face isn’t quite communicating with his brain, reluctantly making the shapes without consciously meaning to. He stammers when he replies, “I uh, I don’t get thanked often. Y’know, I don’t really know what I should do here.”

“You don’t have to do anything,” Seg tells him, but Adam throws his arms around Seg, taking him by surprise.

The hug lingers for perhaps a second or two too long. Seg’s arms are pinned by Adam’s embrace, his hands tapping feebly at Adam’s shoulders. You put your own hand between his shoulder blades, rubbing his back as you would a sick child.

“Okay Adam, I think he gets it.”

“Oh, right, uh...” Adam releases Seg, coughing into his fist and attempting to compose himself. He’s so uncomfortable, all you want to do is embrace him yourself...and maybe pat him on the head.

“I’ll see you on Wegthor, Earth-man.” The two of them fist-bump.

“Keep an eye on him, okay?” he asks you, as your fists touch too. “He needs a little help every now and then.”

Seg turns to go, leaving you and Adam in the crowded concourse, surrounded by people and yet feeling utterly alone. You watch Seg’s retreating back for a moment, then make up your mind.

“I’ll catch up to you,” you tell Adam quickly before darting off with a quick look over your shoulder. “Don’t leave without me!”

Adam goes to yell something back, looks around at the assembled Sagitari, then decides against it before disappearing into the crowd. 

One of the perks of both of you having your own Zeta-Beam devices now is that you can track each other, even when you’re light years apart. Not that you want that to happen ever again, but again, better safe than sorry these days. It’s comforting, knowing that no matter how far apart you are, you’ll always be able to find each other again. It makes the times when you do separate that much easier to accept.

You’ll find Adam later, but for now you have to talk to Seg; there’s no telling when you might see him again.

You open your mouth to call his name then think better of it, instead scooting past a few bored looking Sagitari (or as bored as they can look with their faces covered), and tap Seg on the shoulder as you sidle up next to him.

“What are you doing here? Go with Adam to Wegthor, I can handle things down here. I have to-“

“Do this alone?” you finish for him, and his mouth hangs open, not giving you the satisfaction of proving Adam right. 

“If you say one thing about my ‘doing it alone’ face, I swear I’ll surrender to Dru-Zod myself,” he says as you do your best not to laugh at him. “Did you catch up with me just to make fun? That’s not really the best use of our time right now.”

“No, although I can always find time for that,” you admit. “I just wanted to say something, and you disappeared so quickly I didn’t get the chance before.”

“Probably because you weren’t paying attention.”

“One of us has to look out for suspicious Sagitari. Adam’s hardly inconspicuous, and that beard of yours sticks out like a sober Kryptonian during Happy Hour.”

He tugs at it self-consciously, then looks around as if he’s lost something. “I doubt Kem’s bar is even still around. I expect recreation isn’t something General Zod holds in high regard.”

“Probably not,” you agree sadly. “Something else to hold him accountable for, I suppose.”

“It feels like we’ve come home, but it’s not our home any more,” Seg says awkwardly. “Like we’ve come back to someone else’s Krypton, someone else’s Kandor.”

“I know the Zeta-Beams are a little unreliable, but I’m pretty sure this is where we’re supposed to be.”

“That just makes it worse, I think.” Seg puts a hand on a nearby wall and runs his palm along it. “It doesn’t even feel the same.”

“You want to know what I think? What I followed you to say?”

“Always. If anyone can keep their head in a crisis, it’s you.”

“I don’t know about that,” you scoff, although inside you’re swelling at the compliment, “but I think we’ve got all the home we need right here.”

“And how is that, exactly?”

You walk over and lean up against the wall next to Seg, looking out at the Sagitari going about their business as if this isn’t a completely different Kandor to the one it was six months ago.

“It hit me earlier, while we were walking through the snow and the ice outside the dome-“

“Great place for a revelation.”

“-that home’s not really a place at all, is it? It’s a feeling.”

“All I could feel out there on the ice was my toes slowly falling off my feet.”

You roll your eyes. “I’m serious, Seg. I felt…out of place, out of touch with everything while you were…away. It started when we lost Adam, but even when I got him back, I didn’t feel right at all. There was still something missing. But as soon as we found you on Colu, I felt myself again. The universe was right side up for the first time in months. And then when we got back to Kandor, I didn’t feel any different – I didn’t feel like I was home, because I’d been home for days already. I had you, and Adam, and that was all I needed.”

“I’m sure Kem will be really pleased to hear this,” Seg says, but you can tell he’s just deflecting, not sure what to say as he digests your speech.

“Kem’s one of my best friends, it’s true, but I know he’s safe. Wherever he is right now, I don’t need to worry about him. He may not be happy, but he’s safe, and while I’d love to be with him right now too, I’m happy with that for now. But you and Adam, when you were gone, I had no idea where you are, what state you were in, anything like that.

“So coming back to you two, that was all the home I needed.”

Seg’s quiet for a moment, watching some Sagitari walk past and avoiding their eyes. Then he sighs, deeper than you’ve ever heard him sigh before, like he’s putting down a heavy weight he’s been carrying for an immeasurably long time.

“I understand what you mean,” he says, surprisingly. “I feel the same way, I do. You and Adam, Kem, it’s easy to relax when I know where you all are, and if you’re safe or not. But, and don’t take this the wrong way, I think my home is a little larger than yours. There’s still a wall missing.

“Lyta.”

The amount of emotion wrapped up in two short syllables nearly breaks your heart. You wonder if that’s how you sound when you say Adam’s name.

“I’ve been apart from her before. So many times. Being with her has always been a gamble; if we’d been caught, we would have both been punished for it. But even then, I knew she’d be alright. I knew she’d survive it, even if I didn’t.

“But now, with Dru-Zod in control, I don’t know what she’s doing, what he’s asking her to do. She could be trapped, held against her will. Rao, she thinks I’m dead!”

He punches the wall between you in desperation, and a Sagitari turns his head towards the pair of you. You both smile, trying to look as natural as you can until finally, he moves on.

“Careful, Seg. You can’t do Lyta any good if you’re captured.”

“It’s just so frustrating,” he says, a rough edge to his voice like the side of Lobo’s blade. “It’s the uncertainty that’s the worst thing. And until I know Lyta’s okay, I can’t feel comfortable. I can’t feel at home yet.”

You take his hand then, the one that he’d slammed so roughly into the wall, and hold it tightly in your own, as if Seg might fly off into space if you let go.

“I know the feeling, Seg. Trust me, I do. I just want you to be careful, that’s all. We don’t know what Lyta’s been up to since we left, what state she’s in. I don’t want you to get even more hurt than you already are.”

Seg covers your hand with his, a tiny tower of hands between the two of you, a visual representation of the bond of friendship, of family, that you’ve built together. 

“You said it yourself – it’s the uncertainty that makes this hard. So I’m going to go see Lyta. You’re going to go find Adam. And we’re going to right these wrongs once and for all. Okay?”

You add your other hand to the tower, completing it, and then the two of you break it apart. “Alright Seg. Just be careful, okay?”

“As careful as I can,” he promises, which is the best you’re going to get. Then he winks, and disappears back into the crowd.

You watch him go for a moment, but he’s soon swallowed up by the crowds. Then, as subtly as you can, you draw the Zeta-Beam device from your pocket and scan for nearby signatures.

The last few months with Adam have taught you both a lot about how the devices work, and how they can interact with each other. It doesn’t take you long to find Adam, who is half-hiding inside an alcove set in a wall that you’re pretty sure used to be a clothing shop.

“Say what you needed to say?” he asks as you slide in next to him. “Can we go save the world now?”

“Hey, you’re the one that said inspirational speeches are my superpower. Had to make sure Seg got one before he left.”

Adam shakes his head, but there’s a smile on his face as he draws his Zeta-Beam device out. “Ready to go?”

“Just a sec,” you say, putting a hand over his device and pushing it back down. “I wanted to say something to you, too.”

He raises an eyebrow, his mysterious eyes sparkling in anticipation. Not for the first time, he takes your breath away.

You shake your head before he notices you staring.

“What you said to Seg, about not being thanked very often. I’m not sure if I ever thanked you.”

“Me? What for?”

“For a lot of things. For coming into my life and turning it upside down, for making me a better person, for giving me all these opportunities, all these new experiences.”

“All these new opportunities to get yourself killed, you mean?”

“I’d rather nearly get myself killed with you than spend one minute safely without you. And I should thank you for...for loving me, when I’d kind of given up hope that anyone ever would.”

Adam studies you for a moment, maybe gauging how serious you are. Whatever the result, he nods and pulls you in close to him. It’s a less awkward hug than his and Seg’s, your arms free to encircle him and hold him close to you.

“You never have to thank me,” he murmurs into your back. “I didn’t do anything. You were always special. I just helped you realise it for yourself. I’m the one that should thank you, for falling in love with such a colossal screw-up.”

“I think we’re both better together, don’t you?”

“That’s a good way of putting it, yeah.”

You separate, although reluctantly on both sides, your hands lingering on his back, his reaching up to brush your cheeks. Then you both reach into your pockets and grab your Zeta-Beam devices, holding them out to each other, fingers poised.

“Let’s go join a rebellion and liberate a moon, I guess,” Adam says.

“You could sound a little more enthusiastic.”

“I just really need a nap, okay? It’s been a long few days.”

And then you’re pressing the button, and the world goes prismatic as Kandor falls away and both you and Adam travel almost directly upwards towards Wegthor.

****

*********

The rebellion is far larger than you’d ever dared to dream, and yet far smaller than you expect it needs to be in order to succeed and overthrow General Zod. Val and Jax-Ur’s leadership has led them to victory thus far, but you have a horrible feeling that, even with all their successes at their back, taking Wegthor will only cause Zod to retaliate in kind.

You and Adam arrived on Wegthor and were instantly ‘captured’ by the rebels, which probably saved your lives since neither of you can breathe the air on Krypton’s moon for very long. 

Then you’d been thrown in front of the rebellion’s leaders, who seemed mostly bemused to see you rather than angry, and now you’re wandering the halls of the rebel base trying to find something helpful to do while all around you is hustle and bustle.

You’d been separated from Adam in the rush after the conclusion of Val’s speech, but your Zeta-Beam device pings in your pocket, and you pull it out to see it pointing towards Adam’s signature. You set off in search of him, weaving your way through the cramped and crowded corridors.

As you approach a doorway, the sound of Adam’s voice reaches your ears, distinct enough now that you can pick out exactly what he’s saying.

“Well, before I returned to Krypton I was using the Zeta-Beam and I...I caught a glimpse of the future, but there was...nothing. It was like I hit a wall. There was nowhere that I could go forward. It was as if, uh, time had stopped.”

You freeze, one hand on the corner you’re about to round, your entire body frozen in disbelief. You’re not one to eavesdrop, but you flatten yourself up against the wall, listening to the end of Adam’s conversation.

“Okay, now, what if...what if everything that's happened with Brainiac and Zod, Krypton and Earth, what if everything that's changed since I gave Seg the Sunstone...what if all that rippled through time and space and has been building like a tsunami into this catastrophic universe-ending shitstorm? And what if...it's all my fault?”

You stay pressed up against the wall, totally immobile as Val reassures Adam that whatever is happening isn’t his fault, and his main concern should be stopping Zod in your present before worrying about the future. You listen to Val’s plan to infiltrate the space elevator and take it back from Zod once and for all. You listen to Adam committing himself to helping, as you knew he would.

You’re still standing there, completely unmoving, when Adam walks out past you. You’re so quiet that he doesn’t even notice you’re there until you speak.

“You never told me that,” you say flatly.

Adam stops and spins in confusion, a smile breaking out like the first light of dawn on his face as he notices you. Then he realises what you’ve said, and it fades just as quickly back behind the horizon.

“You heard all that?”

“Not on purpose. I was coming to find you and I heard you talking to Val. You never told me that,” you repeat.

Adam scratches the back of his neck with a hand, looking guilty. “I didn’t really...really know how to bring it up, y‘know? How do you start that kind of conversation? ‘Oops, sorry, I love you but I might have broken the timestream?’”

“That would have been a start, yeah,” you say, finally stepping away from the wall towards him. “What happened to no more secrets? Do you not trust me?”

Adam looks as if you’ve physically hit him, then confusion blooms immediately afterwards. “What? No, of course I do. You know I trust you, probably more than I trust myself.”

“Then why didn’t you tell me? We could have shared that burden, Adam. You don’t have to hold these things yourself any more, you know that.”

Adam sidles up to the wall and sinks to the floor, legs splaying out like a corpse. He’s not angry that you overheard. And really, you’re not angry either – just confused, and a little hurt.

You join him, leaning over with your head against his shoulder.

“Talk to me, Earth-man.” 

Adam sighs, staring off into the distance as if he can see all the way to the end of time, wherever that is. Then, so quietly only you can hear him, he begins to speak.

“It was just before we decided to come back to Kandor, after we’d recharged the Zeta-Beam devices. You were still asleep, and I just wanted to check that they were working properly before we left. So I hit a button, and I dunno, something went wrong?

“I could feel the universe move, like it always does when we travel by Zeta-Beam, but it lasted a lot longer than usual. And then suddenly...nothing. It was like I was standing in black, just complete darkness everywhere, forever and ever, in every direction.”

You feel him shiver beneath your cheek, the thought of that much emptiness invoking a physical reaction. You nestle in closer still.

“I came back as quick as I could. I wasn’t even sure if it’d work, if maybe I’d travelled too far and I’d never make it back to you. But I did. You were just waking up, so I just pretended I’d been awake earlier, and that was it.”

“So us deciding that it was time to come back to Kandor, that was because of what you saw?” you ask, looking sideways up at him. He nods, but doesn’t look at you.

“I knew we were always going to come back to Kandor eventually, but seeing that...I knew we couldn’t put it off any longer.”

“And why didn’t you tell me about it?” You’re pretty sure you know, but getting Adam to admit it is the first step to tackling the problem head-on.

He sighs again, even deeper than before, and his voice drops even lower, like the rumble of the ground before a quake. 

“I was scared, okay? I was scared, and then I was ashamed. What if I’d done that? What if it was my fault? I couldn’t share that with you. I couldn’t bear it if you were disappointed in me, not again. I’ve made so many bad choices, but seeing something like that...I didn’t want to drive you away.”

You sit forward then, looking Adam right in the eyes. He tries to avert his gaze, but you gently place your hands on his cheeks and force him to look at you. His eyes glisten like morning dew on leaves, and he chews his lower lip to stop himself from breaking.

“Whatever you saw, whatever happens in the future, is not your fault, Adam. You came back here to fix what was broken. Whatever’s still broken is because of Zod, or Brainiac. It’s not because of you.”

“You don’t know tha-”

“I absolutely do,” you say, more sure of this than almost anything else you’ve ever told him. “I’m no time master, or anything like that, but I know that your good intentions could never have such far-reaching consequences, no matter how little you think of yourself. And no matter what happens, I could never be disappointed in you for trying to help.”

Adam’s tears are winning the fight now, slowly running down the side of his face to pool in the dimples at the edges of his mouth.

“How can you say that?”

“Because,” you tell him, as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world, “you’re still trying to fix it. No matter what happens, what else goes wrong, you’re trying to fix it. You literally went to the end of time, and saw how wrong everything could potentially turn out, and your first thought was to come all the way back here and _try to fix it._ ”

You let that sink in for a moment. Adam wipes his eyes, smiling despite himself. “You’re too good for me.”

“And you’re better than you think you are.”

“Alright, that’s enough. No more pity party.” Adam pushes himself to his feet, and you follow suit. “Time to go save the world?”

“That sounds like the best idea you’ve had all day. I heard what Val said in there – don’t even think about leaving me behind.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it.”

The two of you set off down the hallway towards the staging area at the front of the base, ready to prepare for your next move.

Adam walks taller than usual, bolstered by your praise and maybe finally starting to believe in himself a little more. The square of his shoulders, his confidence in himself makes you quietly smile to yourself.

“I know a Time Master, actually. Maybe I should go ask Booster for he-” Adam stops mid-sentence, then seems to reconsider. “Actually, you know what? Never mind. We’re never going to be that desperate.”

****

*********

Guns. Again. Your least favourite thing in the universe. The weight of the blaster in your hand is unfamiliar, but the responsibility of holding someone’s life in your hands is unfortunately not. All you need to do is click off the safety, point, and fire, and you could kill anyone.

Not that you want to kill anyone at all if you can help it. You shiver uncontrollably, and slide the blaster back into the holster at your hip that one of the rebels gave you. It’s an uncomfortable weight, but you feel a little better having put the weapon down.

“I didn’t like to hold it at first either,” says Kem, slipping into your field of vision. You may be about to head out of a suicide mission, but at least you’ve got a friendly face at your side. 

You’re walking back towards the staging area, having collected your weapon from the rebel armoury. You and Adam had enlisted Kem on your insane mission after finding him in a holding area. A little nudge from Val had released him from captivity – he may have been a Sagitari, but only because of General Zod’s forced conscription, not out of actual choice.

“Never thought they’d trust me with a gun during basic training. I kept dropping the damn things, nearly shot my instructor in the kneecap. Ended up on toilet duty for a week for that one,” Kem says, looking up at the ceiling with an extremely disgusted look on his face at the memory.

“I’m glad you didn’t shoot yourself in the face,” you tell him. “I know you’re not the best looking Kryptonian, but extreme plastic surgery is never the way to go.”

“Nice to see the end of the world hasn’t dulled your wit,” Kem shoots back, but there’s no barb to his words. You stop then, really looking at him.

His face is leaner, his hair is neater. There’s less of a humourous sparkle in his eyes. He holds himself a little differently, as if the weight of serving in Zod’s army has physically pressed down on him,

But all he has to do is smile that silly smile of his, and you know that, no matter how much either of you have changed, he’s still one of your best friends. He’s still the same Kem, at heart.

You throw your arms around him, careful not to nudge the blaster rifle in his hand. 

“Hey, what’s this for?” he asks, taken aback.

“I’m just glad you’re okay. I’m just glad you’re here.”

“So you can shoot me in the back by mistake?”

“So I can keep an eye on you and make sure you don’t shoot me.”

You separate and begin to walk again, falling in step alongside one another. 

It’s surprisingly easy to slip back into old habits with Kem. Your rapport is effortless and, even though you’ve both changed so much, it’s as if no time has passed at all.

You’d been scared for him, it’s true. You’d been worried that Zod’s war might have gotten him killed. But Kem has always been scrappy and resourceful, so it’s no surprise that he’s managed to find himself in the exact right place at the exact right time to help the rebellion win a war he didn’t even want to fight in the first place.

Seg and Adam are important to you, it’s true. Your brother, and the man you love will always come first in your mind. But Kem is a very, very close third, and you promise yourself that you’re going to do better at worrying about him just as much as you worry about the others.

Although given how he can handle a blaster these days, maybe you won’t need to worry quite so much.

“I know the idea of shooting someone might be difficult at first,” Kem says suddenly. It’s not often that you hear him sound serious, so you’re instantly paying attention.

“I don’t much like it either, if we’re being honest. But when it comes down to you staying alive or someone else being dead, self-preservation wins out every time.”

“That’s easy in theory,” you tell him, looking sideways at the frankly enormous weapon that he’s carrying. “But I can think all I want – it’s not going to make it any easier to act on.”

“I didn’t learn much of use in Sagitari basic training,” Kem says with a shrug, “but something one of my bunkmates said to me always helped.

“You have to detach yourself from it all. It’s easy to blame yourself for killing someone. But if you’re sure you’re right, if you’re absolutely sure that shooting them is the only way to do whatever it is you’re doing, and you believe in that thing with everything you’ve got, then you can continue with a clear conscience.”

You think about that for a moment. You think about seeing General Zod, about whether you’d be able to shoot him, if you had to. If it was the only way.

Adam’s face fills your mind, and Seg’s, and Kem’s as well, followed by Nyssa, and Val. The people you care about. The people you’re doing this for, to save from that awful black future that Adam saw.

You feel your hand tighten on your blaster’s stock then. You may be an El now, whose family motto is all about hope, but you own personal creed has always been something else, even before you were adopted into Seg’s house - there’s nothing you won’t do to protect the people you love. 

And, given all that, you’re almost unsurprised to find that that includes shooting people, apparently.

Kem eyes your weapon, as if he’s worried you might shoot him. “What happened to your friend?” you ask him, anything to distract him.

“Oh, he got shot our first time on the battlefield. Gun jammed, couldn’t fire. Poor sod.” Kem shrugs. “It happens. I didn’t really like him much anyway – snored up a storm, and he was terribly racist.”

You’re not sure whether to laugh or apologise. You just stay quiet as you walk, contemplating Kem’s words. The important ones, anyway.

As you walk along, Kem chattering away to himself, you see another familiar face pass by in the opposite direction. You break off from Kem, waving him away for a moment, and catch Nyssa by the shoulder.

She almost leaps out of her skin, as if your fingers are electrified. Her nerves are shot, her eyes zipping backwards and forwards like she’s had one too many Kandorian ales and the walls are closing in on her and she’s not sure whether it’s real or not.

“Nyssa? Are you alright?” Even to your own ears, that sounds like a stupid question. But you’re not sure what else to ask her.

She’s still as put together as ever, the sleekest looking rebel in the entire base, but it’s almost as if her entire body is vibrating, like she’s trapped in a corner and can’t wait to get away.

“Oh, it’s you. You’re still alive then?” she asks. It’s meant to be a disarming question, to throw you off her scent, but you’re not falling for that.

“Still alive,” you confirm. “What’s going on? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

She won’t meet your eyes. You’d heard from Val about her role in the rebellion, about how General Zod had stolen her child from her as leverage, as if he wasn’t already a giant bastard in your eyes, but this is more than just worry, more than concern for the child that was almost surgically attached to her hip when you saw her last.

“Nyssa?”

“I’m fine, everything’s fine,” she says with a smile that springs into place so easily that it can only be fake. “I just have a lot of things to do here. Val’s got me on inventory, making sure we’ve got enough respirators and...things.”

You raise an eyebrow. She stares straight at you, daring you to question her. You want to. You really do. But you’re not sure what to accuse her of. Being nervous isn’t a crime – if it was, you’d be in prison yourself. 

She wins your little war of attrition as you look away first. “Alright,” you say, “just be careful, alright? I don’t want you breaking a nail on a storage crate and murdering half the rebels.”  
“It’d only be one or two, I promise,” she purrs back. That’s more like the Nyssa you know. Maybe your worries were unfounded – she already looks a little more at ease. You turn to go, but she calls your name, and as you turn you see her pull back her hand, as if she was going to touch your shoulder and thought better of it.

“Are you sure everything’s alright?”

“Just...” she says, looking the most uncomfortable you’ve ever seen her, “...mind who you trust, alright? Especially Jax-Ur. We’re all working towards the same goal, but I think she’s willing to go further than the rest of us to achieve it.”

“What? Nyssa, what does that mean?” you ask, but she shakes her head in response.

Just then, you hear someone calling your name. You look back to see Adam waving you over, Kem at his side. You raise a hand to tell them to wait and turn to Nyssa, but she’s gone.

You look around helplessly, but the crowds have already swallowed her. There’s no sign of her anywhere.

Her words worry away at you like woodworm as you return to Adam and Kem. But you have more pressing matters to worry about first – if you manage to survive this next mission, then maybe you’ll have space in your brain to work out what she meant about Jax.

“Ready to go?” Adam asks as you arrive.

“Oh yeah, always ready to throw myself into danger.”

“Hey, I’m the sarcastic one around here,” Kem interjects. “You might have had your fun while I was away, but I’m back now and reclaiming my mantle.”

“I’ve seen you handle that blaster rifle, I’m not going to argue,” you say, hands raised in surrender.

“If you two are going to start, I’m going to shoot myself,” Adam says, shouldering past you towards the exit.

“You mean on purpose? Maybe you should aim at someone else, then you might actually hit yourself,” Kem says, his insults as scalding as any blaster bolt he might fire.

You smile and roll your eyes behind their backs. They’re idiots, but you love them. And you can’t think of many other people you’d want by your side when running head first into danger.

****

*********

Hope dwindles just as quickly as it can grow. Only a short while ago things were actually looking up. Seg was on his way to save Lyta from Zod and the rebellion was making massive strides towards victory.

And now, in the space of a few minutes, it’s all gone to shit.

You listen, aghast, as Jax-Ur’s voice informs you of the terrible tragedy that has affected the ground troops – tainted respirators have killed them all, even before they were able to engage with Zod’s forces.

Then she orders Araame to detonate something called the Codex Weapon, and your heart goes cold.

You’d heard Val talk about the Codex before, back before you left Krypton the first time, when you’d both been working to repair the Phantom Zone projector that Zod destroyed so that you could rescue Seg.

It was the basis of the genetic breeding programs up in the Guilds, the repository of all the DNA of every Kryptonian in Kandor.

So for Jax-Ur to have turned it into a weapon could only mean one thing – Araame has a genetic bomb, and it’s about to go off.

The situation escalates even faster than you’re able to comprehend however, as Adam whirls on Araame. 

“What did she mean, detonate the Codex weapon? Is that what that thing is?”

“There’s no time to explain,” she says, but Kem is having none of it. 

He raises his blaster rifle, ready to fire, and says pointedly, “Make time.”

Behind you, the other rebels raise their weapons as well – but they’re pointed at Kem’s back, as well as at you and Adam.

“Not another step!” you cry even without thinking, pointing your weapon up at those you were trying to help only seconds before. Adam mirrors you, and the rebels hesitate, which gives Kem time to interrogate Araame further. 

“It’s a genetic bioweapon that’s linked to the Codex,” Araame says sadly, confirming your fears before making them even worse. “It’s programmed to wipe out every last Sagitari on Wegthor.”

Kem makes the connection just as you do – he’s still Sagitari, even if he’s a rebel as well. You turn to fire on Araame, just as she tells Kem she’s sorry.

Adam dashes forward to stop her, but neither of you can get there in time as she presses the button. You hold your breath, not sure what to do now. 

And nothing happens.

Araame presses the button again, and again, but all she gets is a peculiar buzzing noise as the detonator fails to ignite. Kem, and all of the other Sagitari on Wegthor, are spared Jax-Ur’s final gambit.

“Rebel command, the detonator has failed. I repeat, the detonator has failed.”

You’re not sure what happened, but thank Rao it did. Not that the situation is any better now – you’re all still trapped in this hallway, on a moon far from home, with rebels whose motivations are now a complete mystery; they’re could help you just as soon as shoot you in the back. Oh, and General Zod’s forces are no doubt on their way as well. 

Faced with all of that, you’re not sure what your next course of action should be; you don’t have that many options anyway.

Your indecision doesn’t last long however, as Adam crouches down and takes some explosive charges from one of the rebels’ discarded backpacks.

“Adam, what are you doing?”

“We’ve come this far – we need to finish it!” Adam says gruffly, arming the charges with a high pitched ping.

“You won’t make it out!” Araame says, stating the obvious.

Adam stands, looking back over his shoulder. Beside you, Kem nods. He understands.

You step up beside Adam. You want to take his hand, but neither of them are free – one holds a blaster, the other the explosive. You nudge him with your shoulder instead.

“I thought we said no more heroic sacrifices,” you tell him.

He smiles, a thin, small smile. “Don’t suppose I can convince you to take your Zeta-Beam device and get Kem out of here?”

“Not a chance. Together, remember?”

“I was afraid you were gunna say that.” He doesn’t argue any further though; you’re argued that one to death, and the conclusion is always the same, even if you aren’t both about to die. If one of you goes, you both go.

The way you see it, you have two choices. You’re going to die either way – but this way, you can go down fighting, go down trying to stop Zod, and save your home.

It’s not glamorous. It’s not pretty. But it’s a hero’s death. A death you can be proud of. You hope that, wherever he is, Seg is doing better than you are. You hope he saves Lyta, that he defeats Zod where you and Adam weren’t able, and he gets to live his life free of strife.

But then the door you’re about to destroy swings inwards, revealing a herd of Sagitari soldiers armed to the teeth. You all back up, weapons raised, but another, even larger group appears behind you. 

You’re trapped, and hopelessly outnumbered.

Then the lead Sagitari steps forward, and her helmet opens like a coffin to reveal the face of Lyta-Zod, who informs you that the war is over, and somehow you know that, no matter how bleak your future looks right now, if she’s here, then whatever Seg is going through is far, far worse.


	5. Strange Incarceration

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Set during the events of Krypton 02x05 - A Better Yesterday

You’ve never been Lyta-Zod’s biggest fan. The few times you’ve spoken to her have always been through gritted teeth with a chill in the air. Eventually you’d come to realise that it was because she thought you were jealous, a threat to her and Seg’s relationship because of the feelings you once harboured for him in your heart.

But no matter your problems with each other, you’d never expected to find Lyta holding you at gunpoint, the pulse rifle in her hand pointed squarely at your chest.

“I should have expected you to turn up at some point,” she says, her voice as cold as the look in her eyes. “It was far too much to hope that you’d given up and just fallen in line, wasn’t it? You’ve been very quiet for the last few months – what have you been up to, I wonder?”

“You can wonder all you like, Lyta. I’m not telling you anything.” You try not to sound defiant, but there’s an edge to your voice even so. You fix Lyta with a glare of your own, refusing to look away, or to look at the barrel of the rifle.

She regards you for a moment longer, then turns away, having lost interest.

“Keep your secrets. They won’t mean anything once we’re victorious here,” she says as she addresses the line of prisoners before her; your fellow rebels, including Kem and Adam.

“As I’m sure you’ve already heard, your ground support are all dead. Now, if you’d like to avoid the same fate, just do as I say. This war is over.”

“Hey, Lyta!” 

Of all the people to speak, it’s Adam. Kem literally facepalms, and you do your best to catch Adam’s eye, to silently plead with him to keep his mouth shut. You don’t think Lyta will shoot him in cold blood, no matter how far she’s fallen into Zod’s indoctrinations, but you don’t want to test that theory considering the consequences if you’re wrong.

But he doesn’t see you, and instead Lyta turns back towards him.

“You remember me?” he asks, and you can see the hope in his eyes even from your vantage point. “Adam? Seg’s buddy!”

“Oh, yes, I do remember,” Lyta says after a moment of contemplation. “You were the one who wanted him to kill our son, and let Brainiac take Kandor.”

Adam’s smile turns to a look of uncertainty. This conversation isn’t going the way he wanted, clearly. “That’s taking it a little bit out of context,” he protests, but Lyta is having about as much out of him as she was out of you.

“Do you want to live or not, Adam?”

Adam, finally, takes the hint and stops talking. A Sagitari roughly pushes him against the wall, spreading his arms wide.

“Hey! Leave him alone!” you shout feebly. All you can do is watch as the Sagitari takes Adam’s Zeta-Beam device from his pocket. You’re going to get that thing turned into a necklace or something if you ever get out of this.

“Now, as a sign of good faith, you may return to your base,” Lyta announces. You all look at each other, unsure if this is a trick or not. Carefully you get to your feet, one eye on Lyta and the other on the closest Sagitari’s pulse rifle.

As you go to walk away, the other shoe drops and Lyta adds, “With a request from me for Val-El and Jax-Ur.”

Araame is the first to speak. “What kind of request?”

“A meeting, face-to-face, to discuss how to prevent further bloodshed in this war. I expect a swift response.”

She might as well add “or else”, you think. She’s been spending far too much time with General Zod, all of his villainous monologues are rubbing off on her.

You all begin to march away, back towards the rebellion to deliver Lyta’s message, when her arm shoots out and grabs hold of Adam and Kem.

You freeze where you are, counting how many Sagitari stand between you and them, and you and freedom. It’s too many. But if Lyta hurts them…

“Hold on, you two are staying with me.”

Your blood freezes and boils at the same time, but you hold yourself back, waiting to see where this is going.

“What about that gesture of good faith that you were just talking about?” Kem asks. Adam is too busy throwing dirty looks at the Sagitari who took his Zeta-Beam device to pay attention.

“I’m putting my faith in Val,” Lyta explains. “He’d never let you two die, would he?”

Sagitari shepherd Kem and Adam away then, pushing them further into the corridor and away from you.

You’ve been totally immobile while this exchange has gone on, but now your feet move without conscious input, moving you back towards Adam and Kem. Adam calls your name, but the blood pounding in your ears makes it foggy, hard to make out.

Lyta’s Sagitari raise their weapons immediately as you approach, and you force yourself to stop and raise your hands in surrender.

“No need for that.”

“Move along, rebel. You’ve been graciously released by the Primus, don’t waste your freedom now,” the closest guard tells you, waving his weapon towards the other retreating rebels, but you don’t move, not even an inch.

Lyta looks over at you, equal parts annoyance and curiosity on her face. “Hold the prisoners,” she calls, and the Sagitari shoving Kem and Adam relent, at least for now.

“If they’re staying, I’m staying,” you say, looking past the Sagitari blocking your path, right at Lyta.

“And why would you do that?” she asks. “I’m not in the business of offering mercy – that’s not the way of a Zod. So to throw this in my face, you must have a very good reason.”

You grit your teeth, the grinding in your ears like the sound of an ancient stone door creaking shut, imprisoning your reasons behind a wall of defiance. But your eyes betray you, flicking over to Kem, and lingering for a second too long on Adam.

Lyta follows your gaze, and her eyes light up with victory as she realises what’s going on.

“You love him.” She walks to Adam, grabbing his face in her hand and forcing him to look at her. “You love this strange little man, don’t you?”

“Hey, less of the little,” Adam protests, pulling away from Lyta’s fingers and massaging his cheeks. The pressure has left angry red lines across his face, and you want nothing more than to cross the room and smack Lyta across her smug face.

But that’s a sure-fire way of getting everyone killed, so you resist that urge as well, although just barely. If this continues too much longer, you’re going to do something everyone is going to regret.

“Answer the question. I want to hear you say it out loud, then I might think about granting your request.”

You look to Adam, and his pleading eyes are telling you to do the opposite, to get far away from him and here. Fear and adrenaline have made your heart pump fast, and looking at him only makes it beat all the quicker. 

Somehow you tear yourself away from him, and do the exact opposite of what he wants.

“Of course I love him, Lyta. If anyone should know what love looks like, it’s you.”

Lyta’s expression manages to grow even colder. Her cheekbones pop, and the lines at the corner of her eyes tighten with rage. She looks to the other Sagitari nearby and nods to them.

“Leave us.”

The Sagitari exchange a quick look between themselves. “But Primus-”

“Leave us! Or do you not think that your Primus is capable of defending herself against three unarmed rebels?” Lyta’s voice echoes around the corridor, making her sound even more full of rage, an angry god being second-guessed by infidels.

The other Sagitari don’t protest any further, and march away without even a salute.

“Don’t want to talk about love in front of your troops?” you ask her now that you’re alone. “Can’t have them think that their leader’s gone soft now, can they?”

“How dare you,” Lyta replies, seething. “How dare you speak to me of love. Everything I do is for love!”

Now it’s your turn to be confused. That wasn’t what you’d expected her to say. “What are you talking about?”

“I love my son,” she explains. “Dru-Zod’s vision is strength and unity for all of Krypton, for the entire galaxy. He does what he does because he loves his planet, and so do I.”

“And what does Seg think about all this? Do you still love him?”

“Do you?” Lyta spits back. 

“Of course I do,” you say automatically. It’s like asking if the sun is red – there’s only one answer. “But, as I’ve tried to tell you before, my love for Seg isn’t what you think it is. At least, not any more.”

You reach towards your neck, and Lyta’s hand flies to her sidearm.

“I’m unarmed. I just want to show you something.”

Lyta’s fingers relax, but her hand remains on the gun as you draw out your sunstone, the one imprinted with the crest of the House Of El and point it toward her.

Even in the dim light of the corridor, she can’t mistake it for anything else.

“Where did you get that?” she asks, stepping closer and reaching out a hand to clasp the sunstone. For a tense moment you think she might pull it from your neck, some perverse sense of entitlement driving her to selfishness, but she just considers the crest and then lets it drop against your chest.

“Seg gave it to me, before the Phantom Zone. He gave me his House, Lyta. He wanted me to be part of his family. He’s my brother now.”

“So he knows how you feel? How you’ve always felt?”

You want to throw back something awful, something spiteful and mean. But that’s not the point of this conversation, and not the way to get what you want – she won’t let you stay with Adam if you enrage her further. In the end, you just opt for the truth.

“He knows. I told him myself. He knew, long before he gave me this. There’s no competition any more Lyta, although I’ve told you before that there never was. Seg never had eyes for me; he’s only ever loved you.”

“And now you love him.” Lyta looks back at Adam, who smiles goofily and shrugs.

“Hey, I don’t get it either sometimes,” he admits. You roll your eyes, but thankfully Lyta doesn’t see you.

“I love Adam, Lyta. Just like you love Seg. And there’s nothing in this universe that will keep me from him, not even you.”

Lyta looks...conflicted. Her hand flies to her nose, and in the shadows of the corridor you could swear that her fingers come away covered in blood, but it’s too dark to be certain.

“I love Seg,” she says quietly, almost as if she’s trying to convince herself that it’s true.

“Is this really what Seg would want you to do, Lyta?” you ask, but the second you complete the sentence you know that you’ve made a mistake.

Lyta snaps back around and steps even closer to you, so close that you can see her nostrils flaring with anger. “You have no idea what I’m doing, what _my son_ is doing. All of this is for Seg, for Kandor, all of it!”

You’re committed now, there’s no point holding back any longer. “And yet here you are, keeping Seg’s friends at gunpoint and threatening to shoot them all.”

“Seg’s friends shouldn’t be filthy rebels attempting to overthrow everything my family has worked towards!”

Spit flies from Lyta’s mouth in fury, but somehow you manage to stand your ground. Having faced down a Czarnian bounty hunter in the past few days has boosted your confidence, and even with a gun in her hand Lyta isn’t anywhere near as intimidating as she thinks she is.

Not that you could take her, even on your best day, but you take comfort in the fact that she doesn’t scare you half as much as she used to.

But if she thinks she can keep you from Kem and Adam, she’s in for a surprise.

Thankfully, it doesn’t come to that. “You know what?” she asks, head whipping back and forth like a weather vane, “If you’re so intent on staying with your alien booty call, then so be it. You’re just one more hostage to me.”

“Hey!” Adam cries. “I am far more than a booty call!”

“Not the time, mate,” Kem says soothingly.

Lyta finally unholsters her weapon and uses it to indicate Adam and Kem. Her meaning is clear, and she’s clearly finished talking.

You stalk past her, refusing to look her in the eye, and tuck your sunstone back inside your shirt as you pass, making sure you flash the El symbol right at her.

“Get moving!” she yells as you fall in step beside Kem and Adam, and you feel the sharp edge of the gun barrel jab into your back.

“Nice job, genius,” Kem whispers. “Now we’re all royally screwed together.”

“If I thought you and Adam could handle this on your own, maybe I’d have left you to it and ran away with everyone else,” you shoot back, and he gives you a despairing look.

“Well, I’m glad you’re here, even if I’d rather you weren’t,” Adam informs you, looking proud of himself. Then he seems to realise what he’s said. “That came out wrong. You know what I mean, right?”

“No talking!” Lyta shouts, and the three of you lapse into silence, the sound of your footsteps the only noise in the entire corridor as you march away towards whatever fresh hell you’ve managed to get yourself into now.

Adam looks over at one point, concerned. He looks you square in the eye, deadly serious. “I’m not just a booty call, right?”

“Quiet!” Lyta shouts, and you and Adam share a secret smile, like schoolchildren caught passing love notes to one another.

Together means together, you think. Through bottle cities and other planets, through twelfth level intellects and time displaced despots.

It didn’t matter where Lyta was taking you; as long as Adam is beside you, there’s no place you’d rather be.

********

Usually, being in close proximity to Adam would be cause for excitement. But being thrust into a containment module alongside him doesn’t seem to quite capture the air of romance that you’d like.

Plus, Kem’s also here, which is a little weird, not to mention the Sagitari guard that Lyta has posted with you, as if the three of you don’t have your hands bound together and no hope of escape anyway.

“Is it worth me telling you to grab your you-know-what and get the hell out of here?” Adam asks, barely moving his mouth as he keeps his eye on the guard.

“Would you go if I asked you?” you shoot back out of the corner of your mouth. Adam’s eyebrows knit together in irritation, but that doesn’t last long because he knows you’re right.

“And besides, we’re not leaving Kem behind. We’ll get out of this, somehow, get your...you-know-what back, and all leave together.”

“None of you are going anywhere!” the Sagitari snaps. You’re clearly being much louder than you’d thought you were.

“Thanks mate, we got it, cheers,” Kem says. He’s well practised at telling people what they want to hear from years of working in the tavern; he’s got it down to an art. The Sagitari regards him for a moment, expression unreadable, then seats himself on a crate opposite you and spends his time alternating his gaze between the three of you.

If you’d had some kind of escape plan, it would have been very difficult to communicate it to Kem and Adam like this. Good thing you have absolutely no idea how you’re getting out of here then, you suppose.

“I can’t believe Nyssa would betray us like this,” Adam mutters. “I knew she was slippery, but I never thought...”

Neither did you, now that you think about it. Nyssa is manipulative, and inscrutable most of the time, but she’s not completely without feeling. You haven’t spent a lot of time with her, but you’ve noticed it even in your brief interactions – she cares about people, even if she doesn’t want them to know it. As much as she wants to pretend she isn’t, she’s driven by emotion just as much as the rest of you.

Seg. Their son, Cor-Vex. Even her father, in some perverse way. All of them shape her decisions, and even with Cor under General Zod’s thumb, you doubt that she’d intentionally hurt so many people like this.

She’s made it very clear that she doesn’t want to be Daron-Vex, and betrayal is about as Daron as it gets. Something tells you that there’s more going on here than meets the eye.

You lean your head sideways, resting it on Adam’s shoulder. To the guard, it probably just looks like a gesture of affection, but from here you can whisper into Adam’s ear without the guard eavesdropping.

“I don’t think we should write her off just yet,” you say, far quieter than before. Your lips brush the edge of Adam’s ear accidentally, and you feel him shiver under your touch. He turns his face into yours, and his reply is so quiet that you’re not sure you heard it right straight away.

“How can you say that, when you saw what she did? She was out there talking to Lyta, she’s the reason this has all happened.”

“I don’t think it’s that simple, is all. If we can find her, get her side of the story...”

“Nyssa’s the least of our problems right now.”

“You two better get away from each other, or I’m going to separate you myself!” The Sagitari stands up and looms over you both, a bird of prey waiting to strike. “You two are disgusting.”

“I’m sorry?” Adam cocks an eyebrow, and you’ve seen that expression far too many times to not realise what it means – he’s getting ready for a fight. “And why are we disgusting, ya tin-plated moron?”

“You’re an alien. We know all about you, Adam of House Strange. Primus Zod has briefed us on you.”

“I can assure you, all the stories are exaggerated,” Kem interjects, but the Sagitari silences him with a single vicious look. Then, he turns it on you.

“And you. We know all about your...proclivities. Fraternizing with an alien. You’re disgusting.”

“Hey man, back off!” Adam says, rising to your defence. You place a hand on his chest and hold him back as best you can. You exchange a wordless glance between you, and after a moment he relents; he knows you can fight your own battles.

“Adam may not be Kryptonian, but he’s ten times the man most of you Sagitari idiots claim to be. A hundred times more than General Zod,” you tell your captor calmly. “The things he’s done, the risks he’s taken, you have no idea. He’s done more for Krypton than any of us.”

“You lie,” the Sagitari spits back. “And even if, in some insane twist, any of that were true, he’s still an alien. He’s impure. Unclean.”

“Okay, now you’re just being mean,” Adam protests. “It’s not my fault you don’t have that many showers on this stupid planet.”

“I’ve been around Kryptonians all my life,” you say, looking around the containment module as if all the acquaintances you’ve made over your short life might appear to back up your story. “I’ve met so many people, from all over the planet. And the vast majority of them are all the Rao damned same; power hungry, selfish, and just plain mean.

“They don’t give a damn about Krypton. They just want to be in charge, and then keep everyone else down around them so that they can stay there. They’re cowards, and your General Zod is the worst of them all.”

“That’s enough!” the Sagitari shouts, raising the butt of his weapon. You know he’s going to hit you, but you can’t stop now; damming this flow would only cause you to explode.

“In my life, I’ve met so few people that I’ve loved. I can probably count them on one hand.” At this, you look over to Kem, who inflates with self-importance. You try not to roll your eyes, since it’d ruin your tirade.

“The people I love, the Kryptonians that I call my friends and family are selfless, loyal, and brave. And yet, no one on Krypton comes close to Adam Strange – the bravest, most loyal, most selfless man I’ve ever met.

“He’s risked his life to come back here. He’s risked being wiped from existence, not to mentioned murdered over and over. When everyone turned away from him, he stood tall and fought for what he believed in, because he knew he was right, even when no one else did.”

At some point you’ve risen to your feet, somehow managing to balance even with your wrists tied together, and you’re looking the Sagitari square in the eye now.

“If loving Adam makes me disgusting, makes me less than a Kryptonian should be, then by Rao, I’m glad. I’d rather be an outcast than be lumped in with idiots like you who blindly follow someone like General Zod, who puts everyone else around him in danger rather than facing his problems himself.

“Adam Strange deserves my love, and I’m happy to give it to him. General Zod isn’t worth the dirt on Adam’s shoes.”

“Enough!” the Sagitari shouts, seemingly remembering that he’s meant to be in charge. Then you hear Adam shout, and pain explodes across your cheek as the Sagitari swings the butt of his gun into your face, knocking you back to the floor with a crash.

Blood fills your mouth, the coppery tang oddly satisfying, and you feel yourself smile around the wound. You must look like a crazed fool, blood-stained teeth on display, but Adam’s looking down at you with more love in his eyes than you’ve ever seen there before. 

“No more talking!” the Sagitari informs you, but you’re pleased to note that his voice is shaky. Your words have done far more damage to him than his weapon could ever do to you.

You pull yourself back up into a seated position, spit blood across the room at the Sagitari’s feet, and then get as close to Adam as you can without touching him. You stare, as dead-eyed as you can, at the Sagitari, watching your words swirling around in his brain, daring him to say something further.

At one point, he looks away, just for a second, and you use the time to steal a glance at Kem and Adam.

Kem shakes his head in disbelief, but there’s a shrewd smile there too, and maybe just a little pride.

Adam though is incredulous, as if he’s seeing you for the first time all over again. You give him a small shrug, and he blinks a few times, not sure what to say.

Not that he needs to say anything. You’re happy. Your face might ache, and you’re still no closer to getting out of here, but you’re glad you said what you said, glad you put those words out into the universe even if it was only for a few people to hear – because they deserve to be said, deserve to echo across the stars forever more.

Because even if you die here, even if the rebellion falls apart, nothing can take that away from you. Love isn’t something that can be toppled so easily, especially not a love as strong as that which you feel for Adam.

********

Vindication isn’t a feeling you’re too familiar with, but when Nyssa-Vex bursts in and rescues the three of you from captivity, you like how it feels. You’d been certain she wasn’t as duplicitous as she’d appeared, and now here she was, proving you right.

Your satisfaction is short-lived however, when she tells Adam that she won’t be coming with you back to the rebellion.

“I can’t,” she says sadly, the hurt in her downcast eyes painful to watch, and no doubt even more painful to experience. “I’m a traitor on both sides now.”

Adam doesn’t force the issue. “Well, where are you gunna go then?”

“To get my son.”

She moves to go, and the three of you follow her out of the doorway out onto Wegthor proper. You can feel your throat begin to constrict already, the unbreathable atmosphere of the moon causing it to seize up.

Before she leaves, Nyssa hands you each a respirator. “Not tainted this time, I swear,” she assures you.

Kem and Adam look at her sceptically, so she presses one into the side of her own throat, wincing at its touch. There’s a small hiss, and then she gives them both a look that says ‘are you happy now?’

“Good enough for me,” you tell her, taking one from her outstretched hand and mirroring her movement. There’s a sharp pain for a moment as the needle jabs into your skin, and then you feel your throat begin to expand once more.

“They should last you long enough to get back to the rebellion tunnels. Good luck. And, for what it’s worth, tell Val I’m sorry.”

Kem nods solemnly and heads off, Adam close behind. It’s only when he notices that you haven’t yet moved that he stops and gives you an exasperated look.

“We gotta go, c’mon!” he says, throwing a hand over his shoulder. “Val and Jax are waiting for us!”

“Go. I’ll be alright,” Nyssa reassures you, putting on a brave face, but she’s not fooling you.

“You can come back with us, Nyssa. Val will listen to us if we tell him what really happened; he knows you wouldn’t betray him on purpose. If Adam and I tell him the truth, he’ll believe us.”

Nyssa looks grateful, but shakes her head slightly. “I know he would. He’s almost too trusting, that man. But it’s not him I have to worry about – if Jax-Ur finds me again, I don’t think I’ll survive the encounter.”

“Ah, she’s a softie really,” Adam says, coming back to stand with you now that it’s clear you’re not leaving, at least until you’ve said what needs to be said. “One look at these eyes and she’ll fold, nothin’ to it.”

Now it’s Nyssa’s turn to look sceptical. “I appreciate the effort Adam, but I’d rather not take my chances if it’s all the same to you.”

“Just sayin’,” Adam says with a shrug. You pat him on the arm.

“I’m done betraying people I care about,” Nyssa tells you both. “I’m done doing exactly what my father would do at every turn. I’ve been trying so hard not to become like him, only to fall into the same trap every time. My own self-interest has gotten people killed, and I’m not going to let that happen any more.”

You raise an eyebrow at her, confused. How can she not see what’s so obvious? Why was everyone around you so selfless, and yet so blind?

“What? Why are you looking at me like that?”

“You really think you’ve done all you’ve done to save your own skin, Nyssa? Is that really what you think?”

“Am I wrong?” she asks, her voice rising with the challenge.

“Ever since I came back to Krypton, every time I’ve seen you you’ve either been looking after your son, or fighting to get back to him. You’re doing your best in an impossible situation, just like the rest of us, and everything you’ve done is for Cor. You may see it as self-preservation, but I see it as a mother doing everything she can to save her child.”

“From a situation I put him in,” Nyssa replies. “If I hadn’t been so weak, so easily manipulated, then Cor wouldn’t be with Zod, he’d be with me!”

“Pretty sure that one’s on Daron,” Adam interjects. “He messed you up real good in the head, it’s no wonder you wanted answers. Having a weakness isn’t something to be blamed for.”

Nyssa regards him with new eyes, then looks to you. “You’ve picked a good one here,” she says, and you blush at the compliment. “He has hidden depths, surprisingly.”

Adam grins with the praise like a schoolboy getting top grades from his favourite tutor.

“He’s also right.”

Nyssa shakes her head, wrestling with her feelings. You know that struggle well.

“Even if what you’ve said is true, and I’m not saying it is, it doesn’t change anything. I can’t stay here. I can’t go back to the rebellion, and I’m not going back to Zod. But I can’t leave Cor in danger. I have to save him.”

Nyssa-Vex is a force of nature, you think as you look at the set of her mouth, the steel in her eyes. If all of Krypton threw itself at her, you’re not sure which one would flinch first. 

You step forward and throw your arms around her before she has a chance to protest. She jumps in your arms, but she doesn’t pull away, and after a moment you feel her hands on your back. You hold the hug for just a second, and then release her. She looks strangely grateful, both for the hug and for you letting her go.

“Be careful, Nyssa. You’re literally going back into the heart of enemy territory.”

“Oh, I’m well aware. But I’ve been apart from my son for far too long – nothing’s going to stop me from getting him back.”

“I don’t doubt that for a second,” Adam says. “I’d hug you, but I don’t think we’re there yet.”

“Touch me, Earth-man, and I’ll make sure you never have children,” Nyssa says, but there’s no barb to her words, and a mischievous smile on her face that turns into a wicked one when Adam covers his groin with both hands.

“Leave him alone,” you chide her. “He’s already petrified of you.”

“Good.”

“Just promise me, if you need help, you’ll ask for it. Get us a message, find a way, and we’ll do everything we can. You may think you have to go it alone, but you don’t – not any more, and no matter what you’ve done or think you’ve done.”

“This speech sounds oddly familiar,” Adam says, scratching his head. “I feel like it was aimed at me, not too long ago.”

“It’s not my fault that all my friends are dangerously independent and terrified of asking for help,” you tell him. Between him, Seg, and Nyssa, you’re not sure which one stresses you out the most – probably all of them. It’s a wonder your hair hasn’t gone grey.

“Thank you,” Nyssa says, “both of you. And I will, I swear. If I need help, you’ll be the first to know.”

“That’s all I ask,” you tell her with your warmest smile. “Now, let’s all get out of here before we all suffocate, and before Kem wonders where we’ve gone.”

You all share one more look, and then Nyssa is gone without even a goodbye. You glance at Adam and both set off at the same time out into the desert wastelands of Wegthor.

“I like Nyssa,” Adam says suddenly, “she thinks I have hidden depths.”

“I’m never going to hear the end of that, am I?” you ask him with a roll of your eyes so hard you feel like you’ve just knocked Wegthor out of orbit.

Never mind what you said before – the next time you see Nyssa, you’re going to kill her yourself for that one.

********

You’ve been trying very hard to keep your spirits up. To say it’s not been easy would be the understatement of the century. But you’ve been trying. If not for your own sake, then for everyone else’s as well.

You’ve seen Adam when he’s in the depths of despair, and it’s not a sight you’d like to revisit. But with the odds stacked against you so often, it’s becoming harder and harder to stay positive.

These oppressive tunnels aren’t helping matters. They’re claustrophobic, cramped, and they smell damp and dismal, which isn’t helping your mood at all. 

The three of you are making your way back towards the rebellion base. A quick trek across Wegthor’s surface brought you back to the tunnel system, and out of the cloying air above; you’re almost rather suffocate than smell the disgusting smells down here though. Almost.

The gloom settles over you like your own personal rain cloud, following wherever you step, completely inescapable. 

Your dark mood doesn’t go unnoticed however. Out of the corner of your eye, you see Kem elbow Adam and point at you. He drops back out of view, and Adam sidles over.

“Hey, Eeyore. Cheer up.”

You look sideways at him, his earnest face almost too happy given the circumstances. Part of you wants to tell him to shut up, to go away and leave you alone, but it’s a small part. Just being in Adam’s presence is enough to defog a little of your brain, and you just sigh deeply, taking in a lungful of gross air in the process.

“I don’t get the reference, Adam. What’s an Eeyore?”

“He’s a...well, he’s...oh, never mind. Not important. What I’m getting at is, you look gloomy. What’s wrong?”

You bark out a laugh then, a mocking sound that escapes from your lips before you’re able to stop it. “What’s wrong? Adam, what’s right right now? That’s probably an easier question to answer.”

“I know things look bad-”

“Bad? Can things get any worse? The rebellion’s falling apart. Seg is who-knows-where dealing with who-knows-what. Nyssa’s out there all on her own. Zod’s still in power, and now we’re stuck on a moon, completely unable to fix any of these things.”

“Okay, when you put it like that it sounds pretty bad,” he says, and reaches out a hand. He takes one of yours, fingers sliding between yours easily, as if they were designed to fit together, perfectly interlocking puzzle pieces.

“But think about what we’ve managed to do so far. We stopped Brainiac. We saved Seg. We found Kem. Okay, things are a little bleak, but we’ve done bleak before. Remember when the Voice of Rao took over Kandor? Or when we were literally seconds away from Doomsday being unleashed on Krypton? Whatever’s happened, we’ve come out the other side. It might be hard, and it might be painful, but we get through it. We always get through it.”

You look over at him shyly, and his pale blue eyes are imploring, begging you to find the hope in yourself that you seem to have lost.

“You’ve been listening to me a little too much,” you deflect, but he doesn’t look away.

“Superheroes gotta lean on each other, right?” he says with a small shrug.

It’s looking at Adam, at the hope that beams out of all of his features, that brings you out of your melancholy. You sigh again, even deeper than before, but the smell hardly even bothers you this time around. 

“I’m sorry, Adam. It’s just...been a rough few days.”

“Few months, more like. Hey, I get it. We all get a little down sometimes.” He nudges you with his shoulder, like a teenager nudging their crush, and you feel your spirits lift even more.

“It’s just getting harder to stay positive. When Seg’s around, it’s easier. The guy basically radiates hope out of every pore. He always seems to have a plan, or at least enough optimism to spare.”

“I know what you mean. One of these days I’m gunna let you meet Superman. If you think Seg’s bad, Big Blue’s something else entirely.”

“Maybe one day I will. Once this is all over, and we’ve put everything the way it’s supposed to be.

“I just feel like we’re running out of people we can trust. For every person we rescue, for every situation we fix, we lose someone else, or something else goes wrong.” 

You begin ticking things off on the fingers of your free hand as you talk. “Jax-Ur’s gene bomb. Lyta basically being Zod’s right-hand woman. Seg’s out of the Phantom Zone, but now he’s who knows where? General Zod has almost broken the rebellion. The future’s still a black void. I know I keep saying that we can do this, that we can save everything and rescue everyone and fix it all, but against all that? I don’t…I don’t think we can win anymore.”

You stop then, the sheer gravity of everything you are trying to accomplish hitting you for the first time. It’s like an insurmountable wall, a mountain that you have no hope of climbing, you’re at the bottom of a sheer cliff with no way up. You start to feel small. Small and inconsequential.

“Hey. Hey, hey, hey. Snap out of it.”

Adam grabs you by the shoulders, leaning his forehead against yours. The contact is unexpected, and it shocks you back to yourself just for a second. 

“Sure, we’ve had a few setbacks,” Adam says, his voice barely a whisper, the low tone vibrating through his skull and into yours through your point of contact. “I know things look bleak. But if being here has taught me anything, if meeting you and Seg and Val and everyone else has shown me anything at all, it’s that there’s always hope, not matter how bad everything looks.

“You’re forgetting something really important, something that you had to remind me back when I was trying to solve everything all by myself – you’re not alone, okay? You’re never alone.”

You’ve stopped breathing at some point, chest burning with the effort. Adam’s words are loosening the vice you’ve placed around yourself, his reassurances bringing you back from the precipice like gentle hands.

“You’ve got friends. Allies. People like Seg, like Kem, and Val, and Nyssa. They may not always be beside you, but they’re with you, no matter where they are. They know you can do whatever you set your mind to, and they’re not going to just sit by and let you do it all yourself. It’s not up to you to save Krypton alone – you taught me that.”

“I’m pretty smart sometimes, I guess,” you say with a painful chuckle.

“Damn right you are. And you’ve always, always, always got me. I’m not going anywhere, never again. I’m here for you to lean on. I’m here if you need a shoulder to cry on, a hand to hold, covering fire, or a kiss goodnight. Whatever it is, you got it.

“Because we’re in this together, whether you like it or not. So even when you think you’re on your own, even if you are on your own, you’re not. Because I’m right here,” he jabs his finger into your chest, right over your heart, “and no amount of distance can change that.”

Your chest expands then, and even the horrible smell of the tunnels isn’t enough to make you feel bad now.

“And hey, as long as we’ve got our Zeta-Beams, no amount of distance will change it,” he adds thoughtfully, as if he hadn’t considered the literal possibilities while he was waxing poetic.

“And you ruined it,” you tell him. You release his hand, and he looks downcast for just a moment before you throw your now-free hand around his waist and pull him against you as you start back down the corridor, confidence bolstered once again.

“Don’t lose hope, okay?” he asks you, leaning in close. “You’re an El. You’re all about the hope.”

“Yeah, I guess I am.”

Adam’s right. Of course he is. Hope is all you have right now. Hope that things will turn out okay, even when everything seems bleak. Hope that you’ll make your way back to all of your friends, no matter how far away they are – you’ve done it more than once already, there’s no reason to think it won’t happen again. 

Hope is a shining light in the darkness, the lantern that lights your way through the mire of problems that seems to surround you at all times these days. Hope is what Val has used to arrange this rebellion in the first place, and hope is what keeps it going, even when faced with massive setbacks like Nyssa’s accidental betrayal.

But it’s very hard to keep up hope once you finally return to the rebellion, especially with Kem’s discovery that Zod’s Sagitari are lying in wait, and not retreating as they’d promised they would.  
It’s even harder to keep up hope when you see that Jax-Ur has managed to capture Lyta, and is ransoming her against General Zod in order to get him to back down.

But it’s the hardest of all to keep up hope when Jax draws a blade across Lyta’s throat, blood bursting forth in a waterfall of crimson, splashing across the floor and pooling around her as she writhes in pain and dies before your very eyes.

Because somewhere on Krypton, you feel Seg’s heart break. And despite everything you’ve gone through, all the supervillains and insanity and time travel and all the rest of it, having to think about your best friend, your brother, watching the person he loves die, is the hardest thing of all.

Because you know how he feels. You know how much that hurts – you’ve been through it yourself. When you thought Adam had perished in an explosion, your entire world had shattered. It was the most heartbreaking, the most excruciatingly painful experience of your life.

And then Adam had come back to you, and all that pain was nothing but a dull memory that you never wanted to revisit.

But for Seg, this will be different. There’s no coming back from this. Lyta-Zod is dead, you can see her body with your own eyes.

And as you watch the life pass from that body, as the light dims in her eyes and her final breath escapes past her lips, you feel hope die along with her.


	6. Strange Decision

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Set during the events of Krypton 02x06 - In Zod We Trust

You’re waiting for the other shoe to drop. For Lyta to stand back up, to reveal that this is all a trick, that she’s actually fine and not dead at all.

You wait as her body hits the floor. You wait while Jax-Ur makes her speech to Zod, and tells him how much he’ll regret crossing her. You wait as the blood drains from her body, and the light fades from her eyes. And then you wait as Araame draws a blanket across Lyta’s body, knowing full well that she’ll soon pull it back off and instantly be all business as always.

You keep waiting. You stare at the lumpy blanket, which could be covering anything, some supplies or a weapons cache, not a dead body. Not the body of the love of your brother’s life. 

You wait, and wait, but nothing happens. Lyta doesn’t move. There’s no tell-tale rise and fall of her chest as breath enters her body. There’s no twitch or sign of movement. There’s nothing. Nothing at all.

It begins to dawn on you that maybe, just maybe, nothing is going to happen. She’s not going to get back up. She’s not going to move, or breath, or shout at you ever again. Because she’s dead. Lyta-Zod is dead.

You’ve lost people since this adventure started, of course. Rhom. Ona, who literally died in front of you. You thought for the longest time that Adam was dead as well. Surely losing the man you love more than anything in the universe would be the greatest pain you could feel.

That’s what takes you aback the most – if you’re being brutally honest, you’ve never really liked Lyta. You know for a fact that she didn’t like you. Whether this was just because she thought you were vying for Seg’s affection or something deeper than that, you’d never really worked out. And now you’ll never have the chance. 

But despite this, despite the animosity between you, the fact that you were on opposite sides of this war, you still feel something. There’s a numbness that has swept your body, as if you’ve been encased in ice and are feeling these emotions from beneath the surface.

Pain. Loss. Devastation. Sorrow. Even, you’re horrified to learn, relief – because even though her death is awful, you’ve dealt General Zod a powerful blow. When you realise what you’re thinking you shake your head, disappointed in yourself. That’s the last thing that should be on your mind.

Thoughts of Lyta pass before your eyes, which can’t seem to focus on everything that’s going on in front of you. The first time Seg introduced her to you, how unsure she was around you, and how that never really faded. 

Some of the more memorable conversations that you’d had – one in particular that took place in the Sagitari holding cells – spring to mind as well. How she’d thought she knew everything she needed about you. How you’d managed to surprise her with just how little she actually knew.

And then the last time you’d spoken, the last time you’d seen her alive, holding you hostage in the Sagitari tunnels under Wegthor’s hostile surface. How you’d put her in her place about your relationship with Seg – how you’d shown her that she was wrong, and that you’d managed to find yourself a part of House El, and that her actions under General Zod meant that she never would.

The last words you said to her, the last look you gave her, the last everything. You’ll never get a chance to redo any of that. You’ll never get a chance to get closer, to tear down the walls between you. 

You had so much in common, even if neither of you would want to admit it. You’re both headstrong, unwavering, and loyal. You’re both constantly underestimating yourselves. And, most importantly, you love Seg with everything you have. 

Oh Rao, Seg. Jax’s broadcast was live all over Krypton, to maximize the damage she could do to the loyalty of Zod’s subjects. There’s no chance that he didn’t see it – didn’t see the love of his life cut down before his eyes, completely powerless to save her.

Wherever he is now, you can’t imagine how he’s feeling. You feel terrible, but how he feels must be almost unimaginably worse. There’s no one else who could know how he feels right now – except you.

Because you’ve been where he is. You lost the person that means the most to you, had to live with that pain, that weight in your chest for months, that feeling that half of your soul had been torn away.

But Adam came back to you. The hole in your heart had been filled again, repaired by the truth that he wasn’t dead after all.

Seg won’t have that. There’s no way that Lyta can return, not after what you’ve seen. She hasn’t been teleported away instead of murdered. No matter where Seg goes, he won’t be able to find her again. Her body is here, but her spirit is far beyond his reach.

You wrap your arms tightly around you, leaning back against the nearest wall. The sounds of Jax and Val arguing reach your ears, but they’re far away, as if you’re underwater. It takes a conscious effort to hear them, to bring yourself back to reality, to pull yourself through the fog of grief and be present in your own body once again.

Not that you need to listen to their arguments. You already know that Val is right. Not just because he’s your adopted grandfather, or because he’s an El. But because Jax-Ur just murdered Lyta in cold blood, and there’s no way that that could have been the right decision to make.

Her defence makes a certain amount of sense. She wanted to provoke Zod, to make him act impulsively and make a mistake as a result. But this was not the way to do it. 

This is a rebellion. If you sink to his level, if you kill people and inspire fear, you’re no better than Zod is. You’ll be terrorists, as Val said, not freedom fighters. So you can’t support Jax, not now.

Chants of “I’m with Val!” echo around the caverns, an inspiring sound in any other circumstances. Seeing all of these rebels throw their support behind him, seeing the uncertainty spread across Jax’s face as she begins to doubt herself, these are all things that should inspire you, make you feel better.

But all you can do is stare at the blanket that covers Lyta, the blanket that has become a death shroud, and feel sick. The loss sits low in your stomach like acid reflux, and you want to throw up your emotions, spatter them across the cavern walls, expel them from within you so that you don’t have to feel this way any more.

But grief isn’t that easy. You know this from experience. Grief is long, and painful; it never really leaves you, even when you think it’s gone. 

So for now, you slip away. You know Val will need your help, need your support. And he’ll have it. But not yet. Not right now. Right now, you need some time, even a few moments alone, to collect yourself. To compartmentalize, to push your grief away and box it up, ready to be felt at a later date.

Because you can’t afford to fall apart right now, not in the way you’d like to. You can’t even think of Seg, because that will only serve as a catalyst, lighting the fuse and destroying the dam that you’re building around your emotions.

So you wander through the caverns, disappearing into the darkness, seeking solace in the solitude.

*********

The silence helps. Usually, being left alone with your thoughts can be dangerous, giving them free rein to run amok inside your head, dealing damage to your confidence and your sense of self. But right now, silence is exactly what you need.

You can focus on your breathing, the slow rhythm helping you to control the beating of your heart, bringing it back down to a more reasonable level. 

You can chain together your thoughts, your memories of Lyta, and lock them carefully away. They won’t stay hidden for long, but it’ll be long enough – long enough for you to do what you need to do.

You just hope Seg is able to do something simi-No. Seg is off-limits right now. You can’t think about Seg. Because Seg leads back to Lyta, and Lyta...No.

You’re so intent on your breathing, on your mental organization, that you don’t hear Adam approach. You’ve sat yourself on a crate, probably full of weapons or respirators, you don’t care right now, as he walks calmly up and takes a seat next to you.

He gazes out into the corridor, looking straight ahead. He’s so close that he could touch you if he wanted, so close that you can feel his body heat. All you’d need to do is move a finger and you’d feel his hand beneath it. But he doesn’t, and neither do you. You both know that it isn’t what you need right now.

You sit for a moment longer, the silence suffused with awareness on both sides. Both of you know what needs to be done next, but neither of you wants to be the one to break the protective bubble that you’ve built.

Of the two of you though, Adam always has the least patience, so he is the first to speak. It’s not a lot. Nothing groundbreaking. Just a single word, priming you for conversation, loaded with hope that you won’t rebuff him, but also prepared for that eventuality. It’s surprising how much thought can be placed into one word.

“Hey.”

“Hi, Adam.”

“This is probably a really stupid question, but are you okay? You kinda disappeared back there. I looked for you.”

“I’m...”

You want to say fine. You want to say that you’re alright. You want to reassure Adam that he doesn’t need to worry about you, that you can manage this on your own.

You also want to tell the truth. Tell him how familiar this feeling is, and how badly you want to Zeta-Beam down to Kandor and find Seg, who’s probably all alone and surrounded by enemies and never had to experience it before.

And you also want to just break down in tears and bury your head in the safety of his chest, weep until you can’t any more. For all the people you’ve lost, for how hopeless everything still is despite your attempts to fight back, for how powerless and out of control you feel.

“...going to be okay.”

You’re a terrible liar.

“That’s a lie.”

He’s got you there.

You sigh, and rub the bridge of your nose. You feel like you’ve had a headache forever, a dull pounding in the back of your skull that just won’t quit, an insistent drum that constantly reminds you that things are wrong, as if there is something you can do about them.

“I don’t really know what to say,” you admit. “Everything’s falling apart. I literally just dragged myself away from the edge of despair, and yet it’s like the entire world is out to push me back over.”

“I know how you feel,” Adam says, and the nonchalance, the almost dismissive tone of his voice, makes you irrationally angry.

“Are you sure about that? Are you really sure?” Your voice is rising, and you can’t seem to stop it. You know it’s not Adam that you’re actually angry at, but he’s going to bear the full brunt of your anger, even so. “Do you really think you know how I feel?”

Adam blinks, mouth hanging slightly open, a small ‘o’ of shock. He goes to speak, reconsiders, then tries again.

“Alright, I guess maybe I don’t. How about you tell me how you feel?”

You weren’t expecting this. Your anger wants to lash out, a sword across Adam’s chest, but it’s even less warranted now than before . You’re breathing heavily, as if you’ve run across the entire surface of Wegthor, and you focus on that, trying to wrestle your lungs back into some form of normalcy.

“...Everything hurts,” you say eventually. “I feel like I’m going to explode, and yet I feel totally powerless all at once. There’s so much that needs to be done, and so much that I want to do, and yet there’s nothing I can do. Or nothing that will make a difference, at least.”

Adam’s looking at you sideways, head cocked like an inquisitive puppy, but he’s silent.

“Seg’s somewhere out there, in the worst pain imaginable, and there’s nothing I can do about it. Zod’s going to go ballistic after what Jax just pulled. The rebellion’s floundering. Nyssa’s Rao knows where. And all I can do is sit here useless on a box feeling sorry for myself, and knowing that I shouldn’t, and even despite all the good advice you gave me before, I just find myself right back where I started.”

Adam raises an eyebrow, as if to ask if you’re done. You shake your head, unsure of what else to say, not wanting to burden him with any more of your worries.

Your rational mind knows that this is a normal reaction. But the rest of you thinks that you should be the one out there doing something. Adam called you a superhero, but all you seem to be able to do is super-mope.

“Well, the way I see it,” Adam says, slipping from his perch on the crate next to you down onto the ground, “is that your shoulders are far broader than you think they are.”

You’re not sure what you expected him to say. Maybe some more good advice, or lame platitudes, or just reassurance that you need to stop worrying. But this certainly isn’t where you’d thought he was going to go.

“You feel like you’ve got the weight of the world on your shoulders. I get that. I know I gave Seg a hard time about wanting to do things on his own, but let’s face it, I’m pretty like that too. And I think that’s rubbing off on you.

“It’s not up to you to do all this alone. We’re facing crazy odds, and it all just keeps getting more and more complicated - but that doesn’t mean you have to solve every problem all on your own.”

“But-” 

“But nothing. Even Superman has a team. The Justice League is tens, maybe even hundreds of heroes all working together. None of them tries to do everything on their own, except maybe Batman, but he’s an idiot.”

Adam looks around, as if he’s expecting Batman to leap out of the shadows and berate him. Then he seems to realise how ridiculous that would be, and continues.

“The point is, you’re trying to take on everything, when you don’t have to. Even Brainiac with his stupid twelfth level intelligence or whatever it was would have trouble calculating solutions to all these problems all at once.”

“So what am I supposed to do?” you ask him, the anger in your voice gone and replaced with a surprising amount of desperation.

“Pick one thing. One thing at a time. Break it down – Seg’s dealing with Zod down in Kandor. There’s nothing you can do about Nyssa. So what can you do? What can you do, that no one else can do, right now? Where do you fit?”

You look around the cavern, and the sounds of muttering reach you from further down the corridors. The rebellion is still going on. Even with Jax out of power, there’s still a war to be fought. They need your help, and so, especially, does Val.

“I can help here. I can fight.” You can feel your strength returning, your conviction. Adam is right, as always – you can’t be in more than one place at once. Worrying about Seg and Nyssa and Zod does you, and them, no good; but this? This, you can do.

“That’s more like it!” Adam says, hands now on your knees. He was looking up into your downturned face from below, but as you slide from the crate and stand up he does the same, and claps you on the shoulder.

“We can win this war; we just have to make sure nothing else goes wrong up here. Val can lead – but he’s going to need help, and that’s where we come in.”

“I still feel bad for Seg,” you admit as you and Adam head back towards the rest of the rebellion, the noise of their chatter growing as you approach. “I know what he’s going through; how it feels to watch the person you love most die.”

Adam stiffens, but he doesn’t miss a step. He reaches out and takes your hand but doesn’t comment, as if he just wants to show you through deed rather than word that he’s here, and he isn’t going anywhere. You squeeze his hand, the calluses on his palms rough as always, and a nice reminder of how real he in fact is.

“Seg’s a big boy. He’ll handle it. He can keep it together when he needs to – he can mourn later. We all can. For now, we’ve got work to do.”

You re-enter the main room of the cavern and spot Val across the way, deep in thought and fending off multiple other rebels who are all trying to give him reports all at once.

You immediately swing into action, years of taking multiple orders at Kem’s tavern giving you the headspace you need to speak to all of these people simultaneously. 

“Five crates of blasters!”

“...Sagitari retreating through the space elevator!”

“Only four boxes of rations left in that flavour I like!”

Oddly, you feel like you’re in your element. You send away those who are of no use, glaring down anyone who wants to argue, and parse the information down to its most useful parts which you relay back to Val, who is leaning with both hands on a table and watching you with a bemused expression.

“What?”

“That was impressive,” he says with his grandfatherly smile. “Very impressive indeed.”

You feel yourself smile shyly, then snap back to attention. “So, what do we do now?”

Val sighs, as deep as the caverns around him, and you see his shoulders sag visibly under the weight of his newfound responsibility.

Not for the first time, you recognize a lot of yourself in Val. Here is a man who did not ask for this position, to lead this band of rebels with the fate of his entire planet weighing heavy on his every decision. And he may bend, but he does not break.

He wipes his brow with the back of his hand, then steels himself and begins issuing orders off of the back of the report you have given him. 

You’re in awe, really. If Val, who is no doubt far more important than you in the grand scheme of things, is able to roll with the punches like this, if he can take such a terrible situation and do his best to turn it to his advantage without a single word, then who are you to feel sorry for yourself?

You decide, then and there, as you listen to your adoptive grandfather begin to set the rebellion to rights, that it’s time you stop beating yourself up.

You’ve made decisions like this before – never to cry in front of your enemies, not to feel powerless when faced with danger. It’s easy to say in your head, but it’s always felt more real once you’ve dedicated yourself to something like this – you’ve done your best to stick to those decisions, to make sure that they become part of the creed by which you live your life. And now it’s time to add another one.

Adam is right. Val is right. You can’t do everything alone. But you can do the best you can with whatever situation you’ve been thrown into, you can do as much as you can to find an advantage where there doesn’t seem to be one. 

You can be the hero that Adam and Seg think you are. And that’s going to start right here, right now.

As you march off to distribute Val’s orders, you feel yourself standing a little straighter. You might be imagining it; the weight on your shoulders feels as heavy as ever, the weight hasn’t lifted. But you feel a little better equipped to hold it now, as if your new decision has helped shift it into a more comfortable position. It’s still hard to deal with, but it’s far more manageable than it was.

And that’s the first step to being able to shrug that weight off entirely, once your fight is finally over.

**********

Today has been one of the most taxing you’ve had to endure in a long time. Maybe not physically – there are still some battles that will weigh on your mind until the end of your days, but mentally, today is very near the top of the list.

And now, to top it all off, you’ve volunteered to lead Jax-Ur away from the rebel camp, out into the caverns of Wegthor to fend for herself.

You, Adam, Val, and Kem had tracked she and Araame after they staged a breakout, only to find them attempting to destroy the space elevator’s maintenance hub with stolen gravity bombs.

One short firefight later, and Araame was dead and Jax was back in custody. But things couldn’t ever be simple, could they?

At Jax’s urging, Val had soiled his hands, triggering her bombs and killing hundreds of people in retaliation for Zod’s continued attempts to destroy the rebellion. If the General had thought that Val was a pushover, he’ll be rethinking that assessment right now.

It’s all just a little too much for you. You’ve reached your limit of moral quandaries for today, and so when Val asked for a volunteer to take Jax out into the tunnels and send her on her way, you were the first in line.

Adam had tried to talk you out of it – he’s insisted that Jax likes him, which you’re pretty sceptical about, but you know that was mostly just a cover because he was worried about leaving you alone with someone who has proven that they will kill to get their own way. You’d stood your ground though, and both he and Val had relented in the end.

Killing you won’t further the rebellion, so Jax has no reason to do so. That’s the reasoning you’re clinging onto, and hopefully it’ll prove true.

If not, you’re the one with the pulse pistol gripped tightly in your hand, while Jax is completely unarmed – Val hadn’t even returned her bionic eyepatch.

The silence is wonderful after the chaos of the past few hours. The only sound is the soft padding of yours and Jax’s feet on the ground, little clouds of dust puffing up with every movement.

“I’ve been watching you, you know,” Jax says suddenly. She doesn’t turn around, or slow her pace, just speaks plainly. You almost stumble at the sound of her words, but catch yourself before you trip.

“Is this the part where you tell me that we’re not so different, you and I?” you ask her, an edge of derision to your voice that shocks even you.

Jax actually laughs then, a short bark of a laugh, as if she isn’t used to being amused. “Not at all. I’m sure we’re very different overall. But I’d be lying if I didn’t see something of myself in you. We’ve been on a similar journey, even if our destinations are somewhat different.”

You don’t want to give her the satisfaction of explaining herself. Whatever she says isn’t going to help your already frazzled mental state, but your curiosity gets the best of you, and you have to ask, “What do you mean?”

“How much do you know about me?” she asks, still without missing a step. You get the feeling that she isn’t going to escape. There’s no tension in her body, no sign that she’s going to make any sudden movement. You don’t relax exactly, but your finger moves slightly away from the trigger of your pulse pistol.

“You’re Jax-Ur. You used to be the leader of Black Zero, and then the rebellion.”

“I wasn’t always Jax-Ur though,” she says, her voice full of longing, almost wistful. “Long ago, I was someone else.”

“Sela-Sonn?” You’d heard the name a few times before, usually from Val, so it seems like a good guess.

“Ah yes, I forget how observant you are.” Now Jax stops, not abruptly but simply by slowing her pace until she comes to a standstill. You should poke her with the pistol, make her keep moving, but you’re enraptured now, caught in the mystery of her story, and all you can do is watch as she slides down the nearby wall and sits, hands dangling between her legs and her face to the sky, as if she can see her memories painted on the walls of the cavern, a retelling invisible to all but her.

Reluctantly you do the same, taking up position next to her. You’re close, but not close enough that she can take the weapon from you without a fight. You’re listening, but you’re not being stupid.

“Yes, I was Sela-Sonn. Head researcher for the Science Guild, Val-El’s second in command. Oh, those days were so simple.”

“What happened?” you ask, already knowing the answer.

“Daron-Vex happened,” Jax-Ur replies, lip curling into a snarl. “He and his political games, all that manoeuvring, all those underhanded little accidents that helped move him up the ladder and his dissenters out of the way. He cost me Val-El. He cost me my livelihood – if he thought I’d stay and develop new technology for him after his perversion of the Codex, he had another thing coming.

“And so, I broke away. I formed Black Zero, and I fought back against Daron, against the corrupt system that he and the Voice of Rao perpetuated. I forged myself in the fires of adversity, and remade myself as Jax-Ur, the villain everyone could despise, because it was easier than listening to what I had to say, and realising I was telling the truth.”

“That must have been hard,” you say earnestly, thinking of Adam’s similar plight, how he had had to fight to convince nearly everyone of the severity of what he had travelled to the past to correct. “I’m sorry that you had to go through that.”

“I’m not telling you this for pity,” Jax replies, although there’s no harshness to her words, just a matter-of-fact air, like a teacher correcting a child who has clearly gotten the wrong end of the stick.

“You said that we’re on the same journey,” you prompt, trying to get her back on track.

“Yes, I did, didn’t I.” She smiles again, this time sadly, like she’s realised a horrible truth that she doesn’t want to share.

“If you’re not going to tell me what you mean, we can just keep going.”

Jax shoots you a glare, but it doesn’t last for very long before she softens ever so slightly and continues. 

“We both started this life as one thing – one type of person, with one destiny, one course of action laid out in front of us, seemingly immutable and unchanging. And then something happened, something that upended our entire lives, changed everything we thought we knew about the world and ourselves, and forced us to change ourselves or be swept away by the currents of history.

“For me, it was Daron-Vex. For you, I expect it was that peculiar Earth-man.”

You turn away, not trusting yourself not to smile or blush at the mention of Adam.

“Whatever the catalyst, you only have one choice – you either change, or you die. We both chose to change, to become something else. You can’t tell me that who you are now is exactly who you were a year ago, even six months?”

You shake your head, not even having to think about it. “No, I’m not. I’m definitely not.”

“I have ridden that wave of change, becoming whatever I need to be to protect my home. I was Jax-Ur, terrorist leader of Black Zero until General Zod usurped me. I was Jax-Ur, rebel leader, until Val-El’s unerring morality forced me to step aside. And now I am Jax-Ur, enemy of all, I suppose.

“But I am content. If this is who I need to be, a cautionary tale for the rebellion, a thorn in the side of General Zod, then so be it. I will happily play my role, as long as I can keep my planet safe from the tyrants and madmen who want to drive it into the ground.

“And now, I wonder, whether you’re prepared to do the same.” She turns and regards you then, as if expecting you to answer a question you don’t fully understand. Your glassy eyed expression prompts her to explain.

“You’re not who you started out as. You’re still changing, even now. You were a mild-mannered observer, content to ride the coattails of your friends through the battle with Brainiac and the rise of Zod. But now you’re fighting alongside them, travelling across the galaxy and through time and all the rest of it to rescue your friends and defeat General Zod. So, are you willing to play any part? Are you willing to take on whatever responsibility is necessary in order to keep your friends safe, even if it means becoming the villain of the piece?”

You blink at her, comprehending now but still not quite sure what to say.

“I’ve never thought about it,” you confess. “I don’t suppose I’ve ever had the time. I just keep having to react to what’s going on around me, it’s all happening so fast.”

“...But?” Jax-Ur prompts.

“But, I’ve promised myself more than once that I’d do whatever it takes. Whatever it takes, to protect Adam, and Seg, and Kem, and Val and all the people I care about. I know this is all so much bigger than me, and I know that I can’t change things all on my own, but I know that I’m willing to do whatever it takes to try.”

“That’s easy to say, not so easy to follow through on,” Jax-Ur says. “Empty words are nearly as bad as no words at all.”

“You’re right. Words mean nothing without the actions to back them up, but I don’t think you’d be asking me these questions if you didn’t think I had the answers somewhere inside me.”

Jax-Ur smiles again, like her experiment is showing the results she’d wanted all along. “As I said, you’re very observant. And you are correct – I’ve seen it in you, that willingness to do what needs to be done. When you saw Val-El pull that trigger, you knew he had no other choice.”

Loathe as you are to admit it, she’s right. It pains you to say it, and so you don’t, but she’s right. The way you saw it, Val really didn’t have any other choice. Zod was never going to honour any of the deals he had made, and so cutting him off from Wegthor entirely was the only way to keep the rebellion safe from him.

Rao damn Jax-Ur for putting him in that position, though.

“I can see that you know I’m right. And that’s all I really need. I’ve said my piece, my villainous monologue or whatever you want to call it. So I’ll take my leave, if it’s all the same to you.”

This is as far as you need to go. It’s been far enough for a while, truth be told, but Jax didn’t need to know that.

She stands then, and stretches her arms over her head. Then she regards you one last time before walking away. You don’t move to stop her. The pulse pistol lays useless at your side.

“I’ll keep an eye on you,” Jax says, and when she says your name, you feel a shiver down your spine that you can’t explain. “I expect great things.”

As she goes to leave, you call out to her, fixing her with a glare that would pin her to the cavern wall if it had any kind of physical force attached to it. 

“What you said may be true,” you tell her, voice like steel, “but don’t mistake our similarities for some kind of companionship. I respect you, that’s true. I know that everything you’re doing is for the good of Krypton.

“But if you ever put the people I love in harm’s way again, even for the greater good, I’ll kill you myself.”

Jax considers that, then bows her head in deference. She doesn’t say anything else, just gives you another knowingly cryptic smile and then disappears back down the hall away from you.

You watch her go, swallowed by the shadows of the cavern, and then listen as her footsteps fade away into nothingness until you are, at last, truly alone.

Only then do you stand up and walk back the way you came, mind racing like an out of control skimmer, trying to pick out all the defining moments that have shifted your life so drastically.

But it’s not possible. Other than Adam’s arrival, your life has been far too complicated, always in flux, for you to pick out any single moment. Somehow, over the course of trying to save your planet and Adam’s timeline, you have become someone else. Someone willing to threaten another person with murder if they cross you, and you know full well that you’re prepared to make good on that threat.

At one point, you were worried about Adam killing General Zod. And yet now here you are, on the other side of that argument, and you’re not sure when that shift occurred.

The idea that you could change so much and not even be aware of it unless someone points it out to you is, frankly, terrifying.

You’re lost in thought the entire way back to the rebel base, the war within you almost as damaging as the war without. You don’t even notice that you’re back amongst friends until you walk head first into Adam, bouncing off and staggering backwards with a gasp.

“Hey!” he says, hand on your shoulder to steady you. “I was waving for like a solid minute before you walked into me, I didn’t think I was being that inconspicuous. Everything okay?”

You look up at him, at this magnificent man who has given you his entire being, who has bent space and time to save you and your friends, and all you can think about is how scared you are that you might one day threaten to hurt him in the same way that you just did to Jax-Ur.

Thankfully, one glance at you is all Adam needs to read the pain that you’re in. His mouth sets into a firm line, and he grabs you roughly by the hand, drawing you away from the hustle and bustle of the main base and into a quiet corridor.

It takes you a moment to realise that it’s the same corridor you were in before, after Lyta’s death. Rao, that only happened earlier today. It feels like so long ago already.

“Alright, spill. What did she say to you? I knew you shouldn’t have gone alone with her!”

“She didn’t...she didn’t say anything I didn’t already know,” you tell him. “She just made me realise something about myself that I didn’t before, and now I don’t know...what to do with that information.”

You tell him all about your conversation with Jax, how she told you of her history, of your similar journeys, and now, how you’ve both come through the fire as someone different than you were before. And how you’ll continue to change, how you’ll evolve and become someone that your current self might not even recognise.

You finish with the threat, how you’d vowed to kill her if she ever hurt the people you care about, and the certainty within you that you’d follow through on that threat. And how badly that scares you.

Adam listens to all this, growing visibly more angry as he does so, but not interrupting. His hands ball into fists at his sides, and the lines around his mouth grow tighter and tighter.

“God, she’s such an asshole. I can’t believe I ever thought she liked me.”

You let that one slide without comment.

“Look, I can get why she’d get into your head. It’s true, you have changed. You’ve changed a lot since I first met you, and yeah, you’ll probably still change. It’s inevitable, when you’re faced with these life-altering decisions to make pretty much every week. But I don’t think that’s necessarily a bad thing.

“Change is scary, it’s true. But it’s not always bad. And, if you ask me, being prepared to defend yourself, or even to hurt people to protect what you care about, that’s not a bad thing either.”

“But-”

“Hang on, let me finish. There’s a difference between what Jax does, and what you said you’d do. She killed Lyta, she’s killed people before, to further her agenda. She says she does it to defend Krypton, and that’s probably true, but somewhere along the way, her morals have gotten all twisted up inside her, and now she only sees violence as the best way to achieve her goals.

“You’re not like that, and I don’t think you ever will be. You said you’d kill her if she ever hurt me, or Seg, or Val. But I don’t think you’d just shoot her in cold blood or something, right?”

“I...I guess not, no,” you say, and the pressure around your heart begins to lessen somewhat, the cold hand of dread losing its grip on you.

“Because even when faced with someone as bad as Jax, or like Zod, or even Brainiac, I don’t think it’s in you to jump straight to hurting other people. There’s a difference between being capable of something, and it being the only thing you’re capable of. Don’t tell him, but Batman taught me that.”

You highly doubt you’ll ever have the chance to say anything to Batman, but you nod, Adam’s attempts to calm you down working far better than you’d hoped.

Because he’s right. Even if you may now be capable of hurting someone, doesn’t mean you would. Doesn’t mean it’ll be your first port of call, not when you have any other option. But maybe knowing that it’s something you could do if need be should be more comforting, rather than frightening.

“I just feel like, all of these problems that we’re facing, it’s getting harder and harder to stick to our morals. Nothing’s black and white any more, and even the shades of grey are getting murkier and murkier,” you admit, and Adam throws his arm around your shoulder and pulls you close towards him, a guardian against the world of moral enigmas that keep threatening to break your mind in two.

“There’s no such thing as black and white; even in a war like this, there are ways of looking at what Zod is doing as the right thing. Hell, if you wanna play devil’s advocate, there are ways that you could argue that Brainiac wanting to collect worlds is a good thing,” he admits with a shrug. “You’d have to stretch your logic pretty damn far, but it could be done. How do you think people like Zod or like Brainiac get to the positions they’re in? Everyone can justify themselves if they try hard enough.”

“That’s not actually making me feel better, Adam.”

“The point I’m trying to make, in a completely messed up way because I’m not that great with words,” he says with a chuckle, “is that knowing you can do something is all well and good, but knowing why you shouldn’t, and then not acting on it, is something else.

“You could have shot Jax in the back as she walked away from you. You could have killed Lyta yourself when we were face to face with her before. But you didn’t. And you wouldn’t. And that’s the difference between the good guys, and the guys that hurt people without even thinking about it.”

“Okay, now I feel better,” you admit. And it’s true. Somehow, as always, Adam knew just what to say to put your mind at ease. You know you still have a little bit of your own grappling to do with this – it’s not as easy as just listening to Adam and taking his words as wrote. But you have a starting point now, and that’s enough.

“Things are going to get tougher and tougher,” he continues, pulling you closer. “But I have faith in you. I have faith in us. I know that we can get through whatever it is together, because we make each other better.”

“Someone else I know once said something similar,” you say, thinking back to the hologram of Val-El in the Fortress.

“Sounds like a smart guy.”

You readjust yourself in the crook of Adam’s arm, and he absentmindedly traces his fingers along the bare skin at the base of your neck, sending tingles radiating out along your back.

“You know I’m here for you, right?” he says suddenly. He doesn’t stop the motion of his fingers, or even look down at you, just asks the question and continues staring off into the cavern, waiting for you to reply.

“I know that, yeah. Why’d you ask?”

“Just, because it seemed like maybe you forgot for a second there, and I wanted to remind you. Just in case.”

“I know, Adam. I know. Maybe feeling sorry for myself stops me from thinking clearly. Even more reason not to do it, I suppose.”

“You’re allowed to doubt yourself. Forgive the expression, but you’re only human.”

You make a questioning noise, and Adam looks confused for a moment before explaining. “It means that you’re just like everyone else – you’re allowed to feel the same way other people feel, it’s in your nature.”

“So you mean I’m only Kryptonian, then.”

“Sure, why not. The point is, getting down isn’t a surprise. Hell, it’s more of a surprise that it doesn’t happen more often – you’d think with all the crazy bullshit we have to deal with, we’d all be curled up on the floor crying most of the time.”

The image actually makes you laugh, and Adam smirks in response, glad to have elicited a reaction.

“What I’m trying to say is, I’m here, whatever happens. Whatever you choose to do, whoever you choose to become. Because I know, whoever that person is, I’ll love them just as much as I love you right now. You’re a good person, right down to your core, and I know that whoever you become, they’ll be a good person too. And nothing you do will ever be able to change that, or how I feel about you.”

You’re looking up at him now, and he’s looking down, and it’s...perfect. Truly perfect. To hear these words of comfort, this unerring faith that Adam has in you, it lifts your spirits and defogs your mind, blowing away the cloud of depression that was threatening to make a permanent home inside your skull.

All you can think to do in response is lean up and kiss him, one hand on his cheek and the other wrapped around his waist, holding him against you as if you’re frightened he’s going to Zeta-Beam away. 

Adam returns the kiss eagerly, and he tastes of safety, of faith, of hope. His hand, still on the back of your neck, holds tight, the other drifting up your bare arm to your cheek, mirroring your own position.

You lean forward, foreheads touching gently, and Adam opens his eyes, sandy eyelashes brushing against your skin in the daintiest of touches. He’s staring again, those wonderful eyes of his looking at you as if you’re the only thing in the world, in the universe, that matters.

The feeling you get when he looks at you like that is irreplaceable. 

Not for the first time, you wonder what you did to deserve him. What you did to find yourself in a position where someone like Adam could love you the way he does. It’s a love both fierce and protective, a love that places you in such high regard, as if he’s the one that doesn’t deserve you when truly it’s the other way around. And it’s a love so considerate, so gentle, as if he’s worried that at any time he may love you too much and you might break under the weight.

The dichotomy of it makes your head spin, but in a delightful way. You’d never imagined that anyone would be able to love you like this, to see you in ways that you don’t even see yourself.

You pull him close again, burying your head in his chest, and hold him tighter than you’ve ever done before.

With the entire universe spinning out of control around you, with even your own sense of self at risk of flying away from you, you know that at least you have one thing, one person you can hold onto when it’s all going wrong.

No matter what happens, no matter what you do or who you become, you’ll always have Adam. And that’s the most comforting thought you’ve had in a very long time.


	7. Strange Mission

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Set during the events of Krypton 02x07 - Zods And Monsters

“Okay, that was just painful.”

You cross the cavern towards Adam, who’s glaring at Kem’s departing back, and punch him in the shoulder. He shocks to life, eyes wide, and you cover your mouth with your hand. Laughing at him is one thing, but letting him know that you’re laughing at him might not be the best idea.

“You know he’s just messing with you, right?” 

Adam looks from you to Kem and back again, then drops into an easy smile, his posture instantly more relaxed.

“Yeah, of course I do. Kem’s a joker. I know that.”

You’re pretty sure he absolutely does not know that. 

You take his arm and lead him away towards the armoury. If he’s going with Kem on his mission, then he’ll need some weapons at the very least.

Once you’re alone, Adam seems to relax a little more. The tension in his shoulders ebbs away, and he rubs the back of his neck with his hand, twisting this way and that as he tries to release the knot of stress that sits at the base of his skull.

“So, you saw all of that?” he asks, as he looks around the walls at the impressive array of weapons that the rebellion has managed to accumulate.

“Yep. You and Val, and then you and Kem.”

“And you didn’t think to step in, at any point?”

“You looked like you had it under control,” you reply with a completely straight face. You suddenly become very interested in the pulse rifles mounted on the wall nearest you and look away from Adam, but you can feel his accusatory look burning a hole between your shoulder blades.

You compose yourself a little better, and turn back towards Adam. He’s not looking at you any longer, but has a pulse pistol in his hand and is checking the sight, aiming it at the floor and staring down the crosshairs with one eye squeezed shut.

“That suits you,” you tell him, coming closer. “It looks natural in your hand.”

“There’s a joke there about good things in small packages, but I’m not in the mood,” he says with a shrug. “I don’t feel like carrying one of those big pulse rifles all the way through the tunnels anyway. I feel like I have more control with something like this. And control’s a little...elusive right now.”

You quirk an eyebrow at him. He gives you a look in return, as if he’s daring you to ask what he’s talking about, and expects you to back down.

You definitely don’t. If something’s bugging him, then you have to know what it is.

“Explain.”

Adam looks genuinely taken aback; if he thought his dark mood was enough to warn you away, he doesn’t know you very well. He fiddles with the gun for something to do, clicking the safety on and off, avoiding your eyes.

“Adam. You’re not going on that mission until you talk to me.”

“You’re not the boss of me,” he pouts. You cross your arms and tap your foot, feeling like a disappointed parent. You’re standing in front of the doorway to the room, so eventually he has to look up at you, and when he does you stare at him, waiting for him to speak.

“Oh god, fine, alright,” he says, throwing up his hands in defeat and placing the pulse pistol on a nearby bench. 

“I just feel a little...out of place down here, alright?”

“I don’t think any of us are happy about being down here, Adam. You’re going to have to do a bit better than that.”

He sits down on the bench and takes his head in his hands, running them through his hair and letting out a deep breath. He looks up at the ceiling, and then begins to explain.

“Like, when it was just us and Seg, I felt...in control. We could make the decisions, we could do what needed to be done, as much as we didn’t want to. I could pretend like I knew what we were doing.

“But it’s all so much bigger than that now – since Seg left, since it’s just us up here on Wegthor, I’m kind of like...lost. Everything’s moving around me, and I don’t know if what I’m doing is important, or if I should even be up here at all. Maybe we should Zeta-Beam back down to Kandor and find Seg, maybe he needs us more than the rebellion does. 

“Like, I came all the way back from the future. I came here to change the past. Alright, maybe I broke it along the way, but that just makes it all the more important that I fix it again. And being just another grunt in an army, it doesn’t feel...important enough, and that’s a horrible thing to say, but it doesn’t stop me thinking it, and you asked me what was wrong, and now-”

“Adam, you’re rambling.” You slide onto the bench next to him, moving his pulse pistol so that you don’t sit on it. You take the hand which is closest to you and interlock your fingers. He doesn’t resist. 

“You told me once that history doesn’t remember all the little players, right? That in the grand scheme of trying to save the past, it’s the Els and the Zods of the world that you needed on your side in order to save Krypton. Do you remember what I said, about how that made me feel?”

Adam’s brow furrows, a little crease appearing between his eyes that you want to reach out and kiss, but that doesn’t feel appropriate, not just yet.

“You said something like, just because you’re only one person, doesn’t mean that you can’t change things. But that’s different.”

“Oh? How is me being insignificant to history any different to you?” It’s not an angry question; you’re hoping that you can do what Adam often does for you – by asking the right questions, he helps you work things through in your own mind.

“Well, for one thing, you’re an El now. You’re part of that, so you’re always going to be important. I’m just Adam Strange. I’m not...not that important. Maybe I was stupid to think I could ever be.”

“That’s ridiculous, and you know it.”

Your directness surprises Adam yet again, and he finally looks over at you. “What’re you talking about?”

“How do you know what’s important? Or who’s important? What you do here may be the most important thing in the war – what you do here could be the thing that fixes the timeline. I may not know a lot about time travel, but I remember when you told me about the butterfly effect, Adam. One little change here could snowball into something much bigger down the line.”

“But-”

“No, no buts. You’re here, against all the laws of physics. Even if you don’t think you’re important, that in itself makes you significant. Adam Strange is going to go down in Krypton’s history books one way or another, whatever it is you do.”

He goes quiet just for a moment, and then a small smile begins to spread across his face, slowly at first and then faster, until his lips split and he flashes it at you.

“You’re getting good at this whole making me feel better thing, you know.”

“Stop needing me to boost your ego all the time, and maybe I won’t need to be,” you say with a wink.

“And, for what it’s worth, even if you don’t think you’re that important in the grand scheme of things, you’re the most important thing in all of existence to me.”

You lean over and kiss him then, feeling his smile twist to fit his mouth to yours. It’s a grateful kiss, soft and gentle, and when you part and stand up, Adam’s still smiling quietly to himself.

You hand him his pulse pistol, and he tucks it into his belt. Then you collect one of your own and join him at the doorway into the armoury, grabbing a few ration packs from a bin beside it.

Adam looks down at you for one second; you’d never said you were coming with him, but both of you know that you aren’t going to stay here if he’s out there, even if he does have Kem to watch his back.

He raises a finger as if he’s going to protest, and you open your mouth to argue, but he just points at your pulse pistol. “You’ve left the safety off that.”

“So I can shoot your arse with it if you get out of line,” you say with a wink.

Adam rolls his eyes, and then turns deadly serious again. “You’re going to have to ask Kem if you can join. And if he raked me over the coals, I bet he’ll go super hard on you.”

As you walk back, you see Kem leaning over a box and digging through spare ammo clips, the rest of the rebels that are joining him standing around and waiting to leave. You wave as you approach, and he nods in acknowledgement.

“I’m coming too, Kem.”

“Sure, why not.”

Next to you, Adam’s jaw drops to the floor and he begins to sputter in disbelief. You fall in line with the other rebels and grin at him, but all he does is stare as Kem walks to the head of the roughly arranged line and motions forward.

“Alright troops, move out!”

**********

You’ve been marching for a while, one foot in front of the other, making steady progress through the caverns and tunnels of Wegthor towards the area where the Sagitari were supposedly last spotted.

It’s a dull journey. Kem’s ordered minimal speaking, which means you can’t have a conversation, and every twist and turn just reveals more and more red rocked walls to look at, which are hardly mentally stimulating.

Adam’s walking along beside you, gun drawn, finger on the trigger as if he expects trouble to appear at any second.

Something tells you that anyone you find this far into the tunnels isn’t going to be much of a threat, especially with General Zod’s reinforcements cut off thanks to Val’s destruction of the space elevator maintenance base.

Your own pistol hangs in your hand, pointed lazily towards the floor. You can pull it up quickly if need be, but the weight in your hand is more annoying than reassuring at this point.

Finally, you sneak forward through the ranks towards Kem. Adam gives you a questioning look as you pass, but doesn’t say anything. If you thought there was trouble, he knows you’d tell him first.

You take up position next to Kem, who is studying his scanner intently. You make sure to grip your weapon much tighter – a scolding isn’t the reason you came up here, after all, and you feel like even though you and Kem are friends, he’ll keep his commanding officer mindset in front of his subordinates; can’t have them taking liberties or not respecting his orders, after all.

“Anything to report?” you ask him as quietly as you can, mouth barely moving.

“Nothing of interest,” Kem replies with a sigh. He whacks the side of the scanner with his palm and the display fritzes for a moment, but there’s still no sign of life anywhere. “We know they’re still here, there’s no way they could have left. We’ll just have to keep looking.”

“Whatever you need us to do, Kem. That’s why you’re in charge.”

“Yeah, great.”

Not the response you were expecting. You give him a questioning look, mirroring the one that Adam had aimed at you only seconds earlier and Kem just rolls his eyes.

“Look, don’t tell everyone else,” he says, voice so low that you have to strain to hear him despite standing right beside him, “but I don’t like being in command. I’ve never done it before – I was just a grunt in General Zod’s army, but obviously any training at all is more than what most of these rebels have, so I’m doing my best here.”

Also not the response you were expecting, but at least this one makes a little more sense. False bravado used to get Kem out of scrapes back at the bar, bluster and exaggeration often the only things that saved him from two black eyes and some broken ribs some nights, so it tracks that he’d use the same defense mechanism here, if in a slightly different form.

“Well for what it’s worth, I think you’re doing a great job. I haven’t heard a dissenting word, and we’ve been marching for hours. Anyone else and there’d have been a riot,” you tell him with a smile, which he gratefully returns.

“You don’t have to be nice to me any more, you know, I don’t pay your wages.”

“You used to pay me?”

“I thought you were a bartender, not a comedian.”

“That depends on if you’d call that dive we used to work in a bar.”

“I thought you said the troops all had respect for me!”

“Implying that I had any respect for you to start with.”

It’s an easy exchange, probably the easiest you’ve had for a very long time. For a moment, you can almost picture yourself back behind the bar, lobbing insults backwards and forwards with as little thought as it took to pour yet another glass of Kandorian ale. But reality isn’t far away, and the crushing gloom of the Wegthor caverns soon squashes your good mood.

“I’m assuming you didn’t come up here just to harass me,” Kem says eventually, shaking the scanner once again.

“Not that that wouldn’t be reason enough, but no, I wanted to ask you something actually.”

“Shoot.”

You look back over your shoulder, but the nearest rebel doesn’t seem to have heard, thankfully. You give Kem a withering look. “Maybe that’s not the best thing to say when you’re leading a group of armed, trigger-happy rebels?”

He pulls a face as he realises what he said. “Good point. See, I told you I’m bad at this leadering thing.”

“Anyway,” you say, trying to steer Kem back on track, “I just wanted to ask you about Adam.”

Kem waggles his eyebrows suggestively and you resist the urge to facepalm, hit him with the butt of your pulse pistol, or both.

“Ah, the time has finally come – you’ve come to ask me about my prolific love life, and all the conquests I’ve had over the years. Not really sure that right now’s the best time, to be honest, but I can give you a few quick pointers if you like. Now, what you’re going to want to do is-“

He begins to gesture with his finger in a very provocative way and you can already feel yourself burning bright red. You use your free hand to grab his before he can do anything too inappropriate and shake your head so hard that it threatens to fall off the top of your spine and roll away down the corridor.

“That’s not what I meant!” you hiss, and you can guarantee that at least the closest rebels heard that. The rest of this walk is going to be extremely awkward. “I just wanted to ask you to be a little less hard on him, okay? He’s not feeling very good about himself at the moment, and having you riding him about it isn’t helping.”

“Oh, so many innuendoes, so little time,” Kem says with a wistful smile as if imagining the embarrassment he could put you through and the glee he would get from doing so. But then he turns serious, glancing once more at the still-empty scanner for a moment before answering.

“You know none of us are feeling very good about ourselves right now, I assume? You have noticed that we’re at war, and nothing’s very sunshine and rainbows. Adam’s not exactly a special case.”

Kem’s not trying to be rude or dismissive; he’s just stating what he thinks is a fact. But the fact is, that fact isn’t a fact at all.

“Adam’s nothing like everyone else here, Kem. You know that. He’s not even from Krypton, this isn’t his fight. But he’s come all this way to help us anyway, and he’s been feeling like he’s at a loss, not really sure if he’s doing the right thing. I know you’re treating him like one of your other soldiers, but he’s not – he’s nothing like them, so this is all a little harder for him. I’ve tried to talk him around, but there’s only so much I can do, so maybe just ease up just a little. For me?”

Kem looks like he wants to argue further. He opens his mouth. Closes it again. Raises a finger, although this time not seductively, and then returns it to his side. Then finally he speaks, and it’s with great resignation, but it’s what you want to hear.

“Alright, alright, I’ll try and be a bit nicer to the Earth-man. Don’t want to hurt his feelings.”

“That’s all I ask,” you say with a smile.

You’re about to drop back down through the ranks and return to Adam, when the scanner in Kem’s hand springs to life. There’s a faint ping, and another, the sound growing stronger as you progress further down the tunnel.

You exchange a grim glance with Kem, and then ready your weapon once more, making your way towards what you can only assume are the last Sagitari loyal to General Zod left on Wegthor.

**********

It’s quiet again. Far, far too quiet. Against the protestations of literally his entire squad, not to mention you and Adam, Kem has disappeared into a tunnel to track the Sagitari on his own. It’s dangerous, and reckless, and insane, but it’s also Kem – if anyone knows what he’s doing, it’s going to be him.

And you’ve been talking about trust all day, so you’d be a bit of a hypocrite if you didn’t practise what you were preaching. 

It doesn’t make it any easier though, having to stand here and wait for something to happen. 

The other rebels aren’t paying much attention – most of them are antsy and impatient. It’s understandable that they want to take out some of their frustrations on the Sagitari, but wanton murder isn’t something you’re going to enable; not after your conversation with Jax-Ur.

Instead, you check the tunnel Kem has disappeared into one last time and, satisfied that he’s not coming back any time soon, wander over to where Adam is seated.

“Do I want to know what you’re thinking about?” you ask him, in a tone that says you’re absolutely going to ask, even if he doesn’t want to tell you.

He looks up, and the turmoil behind his eyes is painful to behold. You’ve been at war, with Zod, and Brainiac before him, but sometimes the fiercest battles are those we hold within ourselves.

“I’m just thinking,” he says non-committally, as if that’s going to be enough to dissuade you. He still hasn’t learned.

“About?” you prompt, not letting him off that easy. 

“What you were saying earlier. About you, and Kem, and Seg. About my place in all this.”

“That’s some heavy stuff. Did you want to talk about it?”

Adam seems to consider that for a moment. You won’t push him if he really doesn’t want to talk, he knows that – as much as you want to help, you’re not one to force the issue unless you feel you have to. Eventually he comes to a conclusion and seems to look around for the start of his train of thought.

“Trust…doesn’t come easy to me. Not really,” he begins. “It takes a lot for me to trust people. Especially people I don’t know that well. I think that’s why I don’t get along with Kem so much – I don’t trust him, at least not totally. Like, I trust him to do his job, and to have my back, but not...entirely. Not the same way I trust you, or Seg.”

“But you do trust me. You do trust Seg. So why is it different with Kem?”

“It just is, with you two. You’ve been there for me, right from the beginning. You especially – even when no one else believed me, you did. You trusted me, so I trust you. And Seg, we’ve had our ups and downs, but he trusts me, and I trust him.

“But Kem…I don’t think Kem ever really has. Even now, I don’t think he does. He thinks I’m stupid, and reckless, and in over my head. And I can’t blame him; I feel like that most days too. And it’s stupid, I know, but trust’s a two-way street, and it’s one that I can’t start down until the other person steps onto it with me.”

“Do you really think Kem doesn’t trust you? He wouldn’t have let you come down here with him if he didn’t think you had his back.”

“I know, I know. In my head, I know all that’s true. But in my heart…I dunno, he was just such an ass to me when I first got here. He was this little punk bartender guy, who just thought I was full of shit, and now he’s the guy I have to answer to in order to make a difference around here? It’s just hard to…hard to reconcile in my head, I guess?”

“I know you don’t think it makes sense, but it does, Adam. Kem was dismissive of you before, and that makes it harder to trust him when he tells you something now. I get it.”

He visibly brightens at that, as if your understanding is enough to lift some of his melancholy. “Yeah. Yeah, that’s it, exactly. I guess I just have trust issues.”

He sighs then, and begins tapping his pulse pistol against his leg. It’s been a while since you’ve noticed his nervous ticks, neither of you have had the chance to stop and think, really, but it’s back with a vengeance now. You go to put your hand on his, to let him know that it’s alright, but before you can do so, he begins to speak again.

“I was on a mission once, with the Justice League,” he says. You’ve heard many a story begin that way, but this one feels different – there’s a weight to Adam’s voice that’s very rarely there when he talks about his superpowered friends.

“It was a hostage situation, and they’d called us all in to help negotiate. Hundreds of people, and the Legion of Doom had a bomb.”

You resist the urge to comment on the name ‘Legion Of Doom’, against every instinct in your body to crack a joke that even Kem would be proud of.

“The Cheetah, she came running out of nowhere. I had her in my sights, she couldn’t escape, no matter how fast she was going. But she said she was trying to help, that Luthor had gone too far this time, and that she could help save everyone if I let her pass.”

He’s staring again, past you, over your shoulder and into the future, his past, reliving the moment as if he’s back there all over again.

“I knew she was the bad guy. I’d heard how she’d killed people, the horrible things she’d done to Wonder Woman before. But there was something about her, the look in her eyes; she just seemed so scared.”

“So I did. I believed her. I trusted the bad guy. And she went outside, turned around, smiled right at me with her stupid kitty cat teeth, and pressed the detonator in her hand.

“The building just vaporized. When I woke up, Clark, Superman, was digging me out of the rubble. He told me they’d lost everyone. All the hostages – the rest of the League couldn’t get to them in time.

“I felt awful. That was all my fault. All those people died because I trusted the wrong person, I put my faith in someone evil, and people died because of my bad decision.”

“Trying to see the good in people isn’t a character flaw, Adam. You did what you thought was right for everyone, what would save the most lives,” you tell him, but he just smiles sadly.

“Superman said something similar. That believing in people, even people as evil as the Cheetah, isn’t something to beat myself up about. But I knew, even if he never said it out loud, he was disappointed in me. Do you know what it’s like, having someone who’s basically the embodiment of everything good in the world look at you with disappointment in their eyes?”

You can’t even begin to fathom. All you can do is put your pulse pistol to one side and wrap Adam in as tight an embrace as you can manage. His chest heaves against yours, just the once, short and sharp, and you know he’s trying to stop himself from breaking.

“I think that’s when it happened – when I stopped trusting people. Trust got people killed. Trust let me down. So now I play it off, I don’t let people get close, and I try and act like nothing bothers me, but it does – failures like that stick with you, and you learn lessons from them, sometimes lessons that aren’t the right ones.

“I tried to keep you guys at arms length when I got here. I couldn’t get attached to you, knowing that Krypton was meant to explode, but it was more than that – I didn’t want to trust you, didn’t want to let you in, didn’t want to open myself up to being hurt like that again.”

“But you did,” you murmur into the top of his head, stroking it gently as you would a sorrowful child. “You did let us in.”

“I know. I love you guys. You, and Seg, and even Kem. But there are still some walls that I can’t just break down, and Kem’s on the other side of one of those.”

“You’ll never know until you try, Adam. We’re not like the Cheetah. We’re not the Legion Of Doom. None of us are out to betray you, or use the fact that you’re a good person against you. Maybe this time you should take the first step, instead of waiting for someone else to do it first.”

Adam shifts against your chest, looking up at you with bleary eyes. He nods, wiping his eyes on your jacket which you pretend not to notice.

“You’re right, as always. I need to make an effort.”

“Look at the good things that can happen when you do,” you tell him, gesturing to yourself. “We’re together. You’ve got a best friend in Seg. Val loves you like you were his own grandson. Not everything ends in tragedy, but you have to make the effort first.”

“I will. I’ll try,” he says firmly, pulling himself up to his full height and looking around at the other restless rebels who are still milling around, getting more and more impatient by the minute.

And when they attempt to disobey Kem’s orders, when they start to go down into the cavern after him and potentially blow Kem’s plan to pieces, Adam is the first to step up, the first to defend your friend against them.

You feel more than a little pride as you listen to Adam’s speech, as he puts the rebels back in their place, and he catches your eye across the tunnel as he does so. You smile for a split second, just long enough for him to notice – him, and no one else.

**********

Mission accomplished. You walk back into the main room of the rebel base to a smiling Val, Kem and Adam just ahead of you. You glance back to the Sagitari that you’d rescued from starvation, thanks to Kem’s quick thinking, and feel your heart swell with pride once again.

Kem and Adam report in to Val, and you give them a little space. This is their victory, after all. You didn’t really do very much, apart from offer a few words of encouragement here and there. The last thing you want to do is fight them for a spotlight you have no interest in holding.

You feel as though Adam and Kem have crossed a bridge here – today has been a learning experience for both of them, finding out about each other, how they’ve changed, who they are as people, perhaps in a way that they haven’t managed before.

What Adam said before rang true; he and Kem have never seen eye to eye before, but maybe all that is about to change. Like you, neither of them is who they were when all this began, but maybe they’ve actually grown closer rather than further apart.

You can tell from their conversations, first with Val and then with each other, that there’s an ease to their camaraderie that wasn’t there even a few hours ago. You’re glad that they’ve gone through this experience, even if it wasn’t exactly pleasant. It’s made them stronger friends, and that will only serve them well in the future.

As they separate, you sneak over to Kem and tap him on the shoulder. He turns, and you snap off an exaggerated salute, slamming your hand into your forehead so hard that you might have concussed yourself. It’s worth it for the look of disdain that Kem throws at you, though.

“At ease, solider,” he says wearily, rolling his eyes. “Mission’s over. Go bother someone else for a while.”

“Yes sir, Commander Kem, sir,” you say, clipping each word off with a snap of your teeth. Kem visibly winces at the word ‘commander’, as if all that responsibility causes him physical pain.

“I just wanted to say something before we all go sleep off all that marching.” You pause, awaiting permission from your commanding officer and staring up and over his head at a spot just behind him like you’d seen some of the Sagitari do before.

“Well, get on with it. I’m more tired than the rest of you, I did all the bloody work!”

You shake your head at him in amazement. “Just...thanks, Kem. For giving Adam a chance. And for showing us what the rebellion’s really all about.”

“Okay, I’ve got no idea what you’re on about now,” Kem says with a dismissive noise.

“Your compassion, the way you treated those Sagitari, and kept the rebels in line? That’s what we’re fighting for here. The chance to all work together, to all be on the same side, not divided like Zod’s forced us to be. Those rebels would have just shot the Sagitari, but instead you’ve brought them back and bolstered our ranks, not to mention showing everyone what a heartless and cruel leader Zod really is – who abandons their troops in the middle of a war with no orders, and no food?”

“Yeah, yeah, don’t mention it. I mean it. Don’t mention it – I don’t want to become some kind of figurehead or something, that’s absolutely not my jam. I just do what needs doing.

“And especially do not tell Adam. In fact, I expressly forbid you from mentioning it to him, on pain of death.”

“Gotcha. Lips sealed. Kem’s not a nice guy at all. Definitely not.”

“And don’t you forget it!” he says, wagging his finger like a disapproving school teacher. You give him your most winning smile and salute, a little gentler this time, before turning on your heel and leaving him to his denial.

It doesn’t take you long to find Adam. He’s retreated to the bunk area, a long hallway divided into caverns that have each been populated with one or two bedrolls.

Adam has collapsed onto one – his boots are still on, and his pulse pistol lies on a small chest in one corner of the room. The safety’s on at least, so there’s that.

He has one arm thrown up over his eyes, and his chest is rising and falling very slowly. He looks peaceful, not a care in the world. You love watching him sleep, watching the weight of the world, of the timeline, and all the rest of it just drift away for a while.

Seeing him so sound asleep makes you acutely aware of how tired you are as well. All that marching, not to mention the mental and emotional toll of talking to Adam and Kem about some pretty heavy topics has drained most of your reserves of energy, and a bit of a recharge is definitely due.

You take up position on the opposite bedroll to Adam’s and remove your own boots, trying desperately not to wake him.

You’re about to slide into the bedroll and try to fall asleep yourself when you hear him take a sharp breath in and roll over slowly, rubbing his eyes. They light up in recognition as he realises you’re there, a small, sleepy smile cracking on his face.

You return it with one of your own. “Sorry, did I wake you?”

“No, no, I’m good. I wasn’t asleep, just resting my eyes.”

You don’t believe that for a moment, but you don’t say anything, just enjoy the slightly goofy look on his face, cocking your head to one side as if you’re observing a pet doing something vaguely amusing.

Adam reaches a lazy hand across the void between the bedrolls, reaching for you. You stretch out your own and take it, and his smile widens happily. His eyes are closed again, but his touch is warm and welcoming, like coming home after a long day. He begins to stroke your knuckles with his fingertips, and you roll over and stare at the ceiling, the crags and imperfections of the rock hanging down above you like a work of art, random and totally unpredictable.

You’re not sure if you fall asleep or not, but the next thing you know, you blink and Adam is all you can see. He’s above you, one leg either side of your hips, his hair hanging forward and framing his face like a halo.

“Hello,” you tell him, uncertain if you’re reading the signals right.

“Hi.”

“Can I help you with something?”

“We did good today, right?” he asks, that little furrow between his eyes returning. You’re so close, you can see the individual hairs of Adam’s stubble, see the way his eyebrows twist when he frowns. If you thought the ceiling was a work of art, then Adam’s face is a masterpiece.

“Yeah, we did,” you tell him. Your hands are still entwined, and he finds your free one with his so that you’re joined together, completing the circuit as a wave of electricity tingles through you. “We did real good. I’m proud of you.”

“Really?”

“Absolutely. You put your faith in Kem, and you followed his orders even when you weren’t sure about it. You trusted him, like we talked about.”

Adam looks...guilty, for some reason, eyes darting away from yours like prey animals avoiding the light.

“I don’t know if I did, though.”

“What’re you talking about?”

“I trusted Kem, yeah, I guess. But really it was more because I trusted you – I trusted what you said was true, and just acted on that. So maybe I didn’t learn anything after all.”

You sit up now, and Adam shifts his weight so that he’s leaning up against the nearby wall, his legs over yours. One of his hands stays connected to yours, like you’ve thrown him a lifeline and it’s the only thing keeping him afloat.

“I don’t think that’s quite right, Adam,” you say, but he’s still not looking at you. “You wouldn’t have trusted Kem if you didn’t want to – even I can’t make you do things you don’t want to do, much as I wish I could sometimes. We’re both a little too headstrong for our own good.”

Adam smirks then, seemingly against his will, but he still doesn’t look back. “Maybe you’re right. But it still doesn’t feel like I did the right thing, even though I did.”

“Rao, and I thought I was hard on myself.” You sit up even further, pulling your legs out from under Adam and moving towards him. He still looks away, even as you press your lips against his ear and whisper, “You did the right thing, Adam. I don’t know how else to tell you that.”

Adam shivers involuntarily, and gazes up at the ceiling. “God, I love the way you say my name.”

“Adam?” you say, totally innocently.

“It’s such a normal name, back home. But hearing it from Kryptonian lips, it just sounds so...alien.”

“There’s a reason for that, you know,” you tell him, unable to keep the mockery out of your voice. 

Finally, he turns to look at you, mischief in his eyes. “Are you making fun of me?”

“Maybe just a little,” you admit, holding up your hand, your thumb and forefinger held tightly together to illustrate your point.

“After I did so good today as well. I come home to my hovel,” he says, palms raised to the sky to indicate the sleeping quarters, “and the person I love is here taking the piss. I feel hurt.”

Now it’s your turn for mischief. “Oh, really. Do you want me to kiss it better?”

“I don’t know if that’ll be enough, honestly. My pride is wounded, I don’t know how I’ll ever recover.” Adam holds a hand over his heart, and looks crestfallen, eyes closed in mourning. You roll your eyes, but play along.

“Well then. I guess it’s a lost cause...Adam.”

The sound of his name makes his eyelids flutter, and the tips of his mouth turn up.

“How will we ever make you feel better...Adam?” You’re still tantalizingly close to him, and slide your hands down his chest, wrapping him in your arms, feeling the shivers you’re inspiring in him spread up along your bare skin.

“I’m no healer, but I think this is having an effect. Do you agree...Adam?”

Adam nods, and you notice that he’s biting his lip now. You take the hint, no longer holding back, and grab his jacket from underneath, pulling it free. He shrugs out of it, leaning back over his shoulder, his mouth finding yours waiting for it eagerly.

“Say it again,” he murmurs against you as your lips meet. You whisper his name, tracing it along his tongue with your own. Adam’s hand finds your hair, pulling you towards him, keeping you there as if he’ll never let you go again.

Your hands find the edge of his shirt, and yank it up and over his head, those fleeting few seconds where you’re not touching him agonizingly painful. Then he twists in your embrace so that he’s facing you, bare-chested and resplendent despite the dirt and grime of the cavern.

“Adam.”

He almost leaps on top of you, his mouth tracing kisses along your jawline, down your throat, finding the nape of your neck and staking the territory for his own.

“Adam.”

He mirrors your movement, pulling off your shirt and flinging it across the room easily. Then he’s in your lap, his hips pressing into you as if his body wants to occupy the same space as yours, as if physical contact alone just isn’t enough. 

“Adam.”

Your hands trace their way up his torso, across the planes of his stomach as he sucks in a sharp breath, out over his chest and around to the expanse of his back, feeling the muscles beneath twist and flex as the two of you move in time with each other, a living sculpture, a monument to love and passion.

“Adam.”

Only when you both find release does Adam allow you to stop, kissing you so fiercely that you can no longer form his name with your lips. When he stops, he whispers your own name back to you, and you understand his fascination with you saying his.

It rolls off of his tongue so strangely, differently to how anyone else has ever said it. It’s not stunted or confused, as if his tongue is unfamiliar with saying the words, but more like his mouth is exploring the sounds, making them his own, and it adds such a different flavour to the words that you can almost feel them within you, reverberating through your ribcage like a living vibration with a mind of its own.

Adam reaches out a bare foot and drags his bedroll across from the other side of the floor, planting it squarely next to yours. His meaning is clear – he cannot bear to be without you, even for one second, and the feeling is mutual.

Around you are your divested clothes, you can’t even remember taking some of them off, but they’re not going anywhere now. All you want to do is lay here, Adam’s arms around you and yours around him, nestled close, inseparable.

You should feel guilty, you think, somewhere very far away in your mind. People died today. Decisions were made that will affect everything forever. And Seg is still missing.

But, just for one night, you want to savour this happiness. In a world full of horrors with hatred on every side, you know it’s necessary to savour the little pieces of happiness that you can find.

And somehow, for some inexplicable reason, you feel as though after tonight, you won’t get much chance to do this again for a long time.


	8. Strange Escape

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Set during the events of Krypton 02x09 - Blood Moon

You haven’t had much cause to smile lately. With everything that’s been going on, that’s not surprising.

There are still a few things that can manage it, though – the sight of Adam’s face as he sleeps next to you, all his worries momentarily forgotten. The way Kem holds himself now, much prouder and more sure of himself than ever before. Val’s own grandfatherly smile whenever he catches sight of you running around the rebel base doing whatever you can for the war effort. But these are few and far between, and not a shadow of the amount of joy you know your life should hold.

All that said though, your face feels as if it’s about to break in half when you see Seg, Kem, and Adam engaged in a big group hug; it’s the first time in months the three of them have been back together, and while it lingers just long enough to be awkward, the sight of the three of them together is just wonderful to behold.

Seg looks up, just for a moment, and sees you lurking a short distance away. You smile at him, but that’s not enough. He motions with a quick flick of his head for you to come and join in, but you raise your hands in protest. You’re not getting into that if you can avoid it.

But the damage is done now. Kem follows Seg’s gaze, as does Adam, and then the three of them open their embrace and motion towards you to fit in, the fourth corner of the square.

You roll your eyes as theatrically as you can and cross the room, wrapping your arms around the three of them as widely as they can go, and then squeeze as if your life depends on it.

For just a fleeting moment, you feel like all is right with the world.

Then you remember that you’re not even on the world, and reality comes crashing back like a skimmer with a dodgy engine.

“It’s been too long. Just us, together like this.” Seg says as the four of you finally break apart. Adam’s arm drops from your shoulder and rests around your waist instead. You cover his hand with yours, almost absentmindedly, the contact so easy to you now.

“There’s been some good reasons for it,” Kem says with his trademark sarcasm. He begins ticking off his fingers as he goes through the list. “The Voice of Rao. Brainiac. General Zod. Doomsday. Need I go on?”

“No, we’re good, I get it.” Seg shrugs in defeat. “But at least we’re together again now.”

“Seg, I...I’m so sorry about Lyta,” you say, forcing the words out of your mouth. “If you want to talk...”

Seg looks confused for a moment, and then, for some reason, smiles. “It’s fine. Lyta’s alive. What happened with Zod...there’s a lot of explaining to do. But she’s fine, I promise. I’m fine.”

You file that away for later. Seg clearly doesn’t want to talk about it right now, so you let the relief that Lyta isn’t actually dead wash over you, and go back to enjoying the presence of your friends. You look around once more, feeling Adam’s pressure on your hip.

“I’m not letting any of you out of my sight ever again,” you announce defiantly. Seg and Kem both look puzzled, and Adam avoids both of their eyes, knowing full well where this is going.

“Whenever you lot disappear off on your own, bad things happen. Seg gets sent to the Phantom Zone, or captured by General Zod, or worse.”

Seg looks away guiltily.

“And you end up conscripted into a Sagitari army and nearly killed!”

Kem looks the opposite way, one hand on the back of his neck.

“Adam doesn’t get into trouble,” Seg objects. “He’s alright on his own.”

You fix Seg with a piercing ‘are you serious right now’ type glare. “The last time Adam went off on his own, we all thought he exploded.”

“You were actually with me when that happened,” Adam interjects, but you turn your glare on him like a Sagitari searchlight and he backs down.

“The point being, you lot are all clearly lost without me, and I’m not letting you all go off on your own ever again. I’m obviously the only one of us able to make good decisions around here, so from now on I nominate me as the head of the group. No one does anything without my say-so.”

You’ve somehow managed to keep a straight face. Your friends are all looking at you, eyes boggling out of their heads. Kem is the quickest on the uptake – he knows when someone’s lying almost as well as you, and once he realises you’re joking he makes a dismissive noise and points at, for some reason, Adam.

“Your judgment isn’t exactly sound either,” he explains. “You’re dating this idiot, so how clever are you, really?”

“Hey!” Adam shouts, as Seg creases up with laughter and you feel your cheeks burn crimson as Krypton’s sun with embarrassment. 

“...Point taken,” you concede, and then Adam turns his wrath on you, digging the fingers of the hand still placed on your waist into your ribs, tickling you into submission.

“Oh yeah? You wanna play that game?” he asks, his other hand joining in the action. You lose your breath from laughing, and you can see through tear-filled eyes that Seg and Kem are bent over double, one of them leaning on a box and the other on a nearby wall as they try to catch their own breath.

This little piece of joy, this stolen moment of brevity when all around you is falling apart, makes you laugh even harder. If only General Zod could see you now, you can only imagine what he’d say, and the thought of his disapproving glare and no doubt overly long speech about lack of discipline and fraternizing with the enemy makes you laugh even harder.

Eventually Adam relents, and the four of you return, if reluctantly, to your senses.

“Ah, I needed that,” Kem says, motioning to the rest of you. “I haven’t laughed that hard in ages.”

“I’m glad I’m still useful for something,” you tell him with a sly grin. “I did mean it though – I’m not letting any of you out of my sight ever again.”

Kem slams his fist against his chest in a Sagitari salute. “Yes Primus!” he says, and both Seg and Adam copy him, as exaggeratedly as they can.

You roll your eyes. Your friends are idiots, but you love them even more because of it.

It’s a shame that you don’t get to enjoy each other’s company any further, because that’s when one of the other rebels appears and coughs discretely. As you turn, the solemn look on your face instantly sobers you up.

“Val-El would like to speak to you,” she says, and the four of you exchange another glance, this one of grim determination before following her through the passages towards Val’s command centre.

Adam once explained to you the concept of karma, which isn’t something you’ve heard of on Krypton before. Basically, for every good thing, something bad happens to balance it out. It’s a nice idea, but in your experience it doesn’t always work out that way – usually the good things happen to people who _aren’t_ you, and the bad things happen exclusively _to_ you. 

Rao only knows what punishment awaits you for the little piece of happiness you’ve just wrestled for yourself.

**********

The sight of the lone Sagitari ship landing fills you with dread. Even through a viewing screen, you know that it no doubt spells the end of the rebellion. Even with all your forces, the element of surprise, and the knowledge of the Wegthor terrain, you know it’ll be almost impossible to defeat Zod in a straight up fight.

But then the door of the launch bay opens and your worst nightmare steps out, freezing your blood in your veins. Your heart feels like a chunk of ice within your chest, and you instinctively reach out for Adam’s hand, as if that contact would be enough to stop the creature that has come to murder you all.

Doomsday has come to Wegthor.

Shock and fear are enough to keep you from contributing to the conversation. You know it’s all futile. It doesn’t matter what plan Seg and the others come up with, there’s no way to stop Doomsday.

Vaguely you remember when you first returned to Krypton after rescuing Seg from Colu, that awful, awful sound that echoed throughout the Outlands, the same terrible feeling that you’re feeling now covering you like a heavy blanket. You’d convinced yourself that you’d imagined in, knowing that there was no way the three of you would have been able to stop him even if it was true. But it must have been; Doomsday had been freed, and now it was here, here to destroy you all.

That’s why when Adam suggests that you all flee, you’re the first to voice your agreement.

“Adam’s right, Seg,” you say through shaking lips. “There’s no way to stop Doomsday. I’ve heard the story, how he defeated your grandson, Earth’s greatest hero, and no offense to any of us, but none of us have that kind of power. There’s nothing we can do against something like that. We have to get out of here, and hope he can’t follow.”

Seg stops and stares at you for a moment, reading the emotions that are no doubt plastered over your face like some crude Rankless sector graffiti. You hope he can see that you’re not just being ruled by fear – yes, you’re terrified of Doomsday, but you’re also being practical. He’s so powerful, there’s no point in wasting resources trying to fight him. Running is the most sensible option, from any perspective.

Then he takes your idea and runs with it, turning your basic ‘run the hell away’ into something far more productive and far more likely to save lives. If Doomsday is distracted long enough, the rest of the rebellion can co-opt the Sagitari ship he arrived on and get away from Wegthor entirely. Doomsday can do a lot of things, you’re sure, but he can’t fly, and definitely not through space.

Where there was none before, hope begins to spring once again.

Then, almost as soon as your core group is back together again, you begin to splinter. Seg and Kem disappear off into the tunnels to try and delay Doomsday. Nyssa opts to lead a strike team to remove any Sagitari that may be left around your escape route.   
Val is coordinating the effort from the command chamber. That leaves you and Adam on evacuation duty.

“Let’s get the hell outta here,” Adam so eloquently says as you all scatter without so much as a parting word. There’s no time, not with the sounds of Doomsday’s inexorable approach getting closer and closer by the second.

Instead you share a quick glance of determination with each of your friends, squeeze Adam’s hand, and then run off into the surrounding area, intent on getting as many of your fellow rebels out of Doomsday’s grip as you can.

If General Zod thinks Doomsday is his best chance at victory, he’s going to be sorely mistaken. You may not be able to stop Doomsday, but the rebellion will not end here today. You’re going to make sure of it.

**********

The thunderous footsteps of Doomsday are closer than ever now. The very walls of the cavern shake from moment to moment, sending up clouds of dust that obscure your vision, and make even the tunnels that you know seem new and confusing.

But nearly everyone has been evacuated, you think. Despite Doomsday’s noise, the rest of the base is almost quiet, devoid of any further rebels. You and Adam, whom you’ve glimpsed running around in nearby corridors, have done your job well – the rebellion is on its way to the Sagitari ship, and hopefully to safe haven if Nyssa has been as successful as the pair of you.

One voice still rings out through the relative silence however, and it’s one you could place anywhere. The frantic screams and shouts of Val-El are easy to follow, and you emerge into the command centre just as Adam skids out of the opposite tunnel.

You both head straight for Val, who is hitting the communications console with surprising force for an old man, and shouting into the ether. 

“Seg? Can you hear me? You need to get out of there, Seg!”

“Val! Val, what’re you still doing here?” Adam asks, as you stare at the flickering console. Doomsday’s attack has damaged the power system, and it blinks in and out, mostly useless. From what you can see, communications is entirely down, and Seg won’t hear Val no matter how much he tries.

“Seg and Kem are still in the mine, I need to get them out of there!” Val protests, turning back to the console despite Adam’s warnings. 

“He’s my grandson!” Val says, desperation that could only be born of deep affection clear in every word. Adam slams a hand on Val’s shoulder, both in reassurance and as a way to physically drag the man away if needs be.

“Val, hey,” Adam says, his face passive but not uncaring. “There’s nothing more you can do.”

Adam’s words hit you like Doomsday’s fists. In all the chaos, the true urgency of the situation has been lost on you, but now it’s obvious, so obvious – Seg and Kem are trapped, and if you leave now, there’s no telling if they’ll get back alive.

“Adam, no,” you hiss as Val stares off into the middle distance. “We can’t just leave them here, we can’t!”

Adam shakes his head, biting his lip, looking powerless. “I don’t like it either, but if we stay down here any longer, we’re gunna get crushed. We just have to trust that Seg and Kem can get out on their own – they’re resourceful guys, they’ve got this.”

But that’s not good enough, not for you. Not after everything. Not being able to do anything to save your friend is almost as bad a feeling as knowing you’ve lost them for sure, and your voice gets higher and higher as you urge Adam to think of something else.

“Why can’t we Zeta-Beam over there? I’ll grab Seg, you grab Kem, we’ll all get out together!” you say, pulling your Zeta-Beam out of your pocket and thrusting it towards Adam. 

“You know we can’t do that,” he says, pushing it back at you. “We don’t even know where they are exactly, and if we Zeta down here, we could end up in ten feet of rock. I know it’s hard, doing nothing isn’t easy, but there’s nothing else we can do right now!”

You bite your tongue, sharp pain slicing through your mouth as you keep your retort inside. Logically, you know he’s right. But emotionally, you can’t bring yourself to accept it.

“I...I…” you say, looking from Adam to Val and back, searching their faces for hope, for the flicker of an idea, the spark of something that can save your friends, but there’s nothing.

“We have to go,” Adam says again, and it’s the look of pure defeat on Val’s face that finally tips you over. He’s always been a man of science – he knows a hopeless case when he sees one.

“Alright,” he says, sounding for the first time since you’ve known him like the old man that he is. Adam leads him away sadly, glancing over his shoulder at you.

“C’mon.”

Your feet begin to move of their own accord, your body’s self-preservation instincts kicking in even while your brain struggles with the moral quandary of it all.

You can’t believe what you’re doing. You can’t believe that there’s no other way. You can’t believe that after all this time, all of your friends were back together for a fleeting moment and now you’re scattered to the wind and all in mortal danger yet again. It’s almost too much to bear.

But bear it you must. Seg would. Kem would. You know how hard a decision this is to make, and you know that both of them would be able to make it. They would trust you to get out of this alive. And so, you will have to do the same.

Your paces pick up speed as you come to this conclusion, and your hands ball into fists at your side. You catch up with Adam and Val easily, and Adam gives you a sad, sad smile as you draw level.

“While we’re still alive, there’s still hope,” you say to them. “Seg and Kem will be alright. They have to be.”

Adam gives you a nod of grim determination, and Val clasps your forearm with his hand, his grip surprisingly strong.

Then the entire world shakes and rumbles, and the three of you stop dead, looking back the way you came, paralyzed by morbid curiosity like escaped convicts under a searchlight. 

As you watch, the corridors that lead into this central column begin to implode, sending clouds of dust and debris down towards you with enormous force. It only takes one or two before the three of you turn and begin running, as though your lives depend on it – which they do.

You’re only running for a few moments before another quake shakes the entire room, and then everything begins to move in slow motion.

The world has only done this for you once before, as the precursor to something awful.

As you watch, the roof of the cavern begins to cave in. Sharp rocks and boulders the size of your entire body begin to rain down around you, crushing everything they come into contact with.

And there’s Adam, shoving Val-El as hard as he can. The old man goes flying, but he lands out of the path of the cave-in, battered and scraped by his landing, but safe, alive.

Adam is not so lucky.

He takes a boulder to the back, and another, and another, until a hail of stone and rock collapses down on top of him as time speeds back up.

The room settles, falling almost entirely silent except for Val’s laboured breathing and a few pebbles making their way down the large pile of undisturbed stones that now stands where Adam was only a moment ago.

It’s not just the cavern that’s fallen apart – your entire world has shattered, the remnants of it now lying trapped underneath the pile of rubble before you.

**********

“Val! Val, help me!” you shout, your hands flying across the stones around you. Shards of rock slice into the soft flesh of your palms until they run slick with blood, making the other stones harder to grab, but you don’t care, you don’t stop – Adam’s under here, and you have to get him out.

Val stumbles over, coughing with his entire body as he expels smoke and dust from his lungs. At the sight of you, he drops to his knees and joins in wordlessly, pulling at rocks and dragging at boulders until they shift.

In the back of your mind, you think that the archaeologist in Adam would be ashamed of you for treating rocks in this manner. But then if he’s dead under here, that won’t matter at all.

No, he’s not dead. He’s not. You refuse to even entertain the possibility. It’s just not happening. Not today. Not now. Not ever.

You know that’s unrealistic, but your mind isn’t working quite right. Not when Adam’s in danger. You may not be able to help Seg and Kem, wherever they are, but you can help Adam, you will help Adam, you’re not going to let him die, not like this, not here, not now, Rao damn it!

It feels like forever that you’re attacking this pile of rocks. No matter how many you move, there seem to be more underneath, and there’s no sign of Adam at all, nor the bottom of the pile. Your fervor begins to dissipate, replaced by despair despite your resistances, the thoughts that Adam might not even be under this pile, that you’ve been digging in the wrong place, that he’s been squashed flat and you’ll never find him floating on the periphery of your brain. You scream them into submission, redoubling your efforts. 

Next to you, Val does the same. He’s not wasting what little breath he has left, nor is he slowing down, although you can see from the sweat on his brow and the look on his face that he too thinks this is futile.

You’re about to open your mouth and tell him to stop, that you’ll do the rest yourself when an awful noise, a terrible, yet terrifyingly familiar noise explodes from a nearby tunnel.

It’s a primal roar, more animal than man, the sound of a hundred avalanches fueled by pure fury all at once. It sends a chill down your spine and makes your entire body stiffen with fear.

Doomsday is here.

You look back at Val, who looks on the edge of a heart attack, and make a snap decision, the only one you could possibly make right now.

“Get Adam out of there, Val. I’ll slow him down.”

Val looks incredulous, eyes so wide that they look like they’ll fall from his head and roll down the mountain of stones themselves, but you’re gone before he can protest. You don’t have time to argue, not right now.

You wish you had a plan. You wish Doomsday wasn’t outside. You wish General Zod wasn’t in charge. You wish Seg was here. 

You wish a lot of things.

But it’s no use wishing – Doomsday is immune to everything, and wishing is likely no exception. 

You scoop a pulse rifle from the floor where it has fallen and jam the butt of it into your shoulder, aiming high. It won’t hurt him, but it might distract him long enough for you to think of a better plan.

You duck out of the command centre and head down the nearest unobstructed corridor, towards the unmistakable sound of stomping feet. They sound so close, yet so far away, thanks to the echoing of the chambers, so you have no idea exactly how far away Doomsday is until you round a corner and nearly walk straight into the towering monstrosity.

He stands over nine feet tall, vaguely humanoid, but his entire body is a dull slate grey with splotches of black. Bony protrusions jut out of his knuckles, elbows, shoulders, and skull. The ones on his knuckles are drenched in blood, the same colour as the beady red eyes that peer out of his face, right at you.

Dread emanates off of him in waves, almost physically pushing you back. When last you saw Doomsday, he was asleep and yet still managed to inspire unspeakable terror in you. Faced with the living, breathing, walking creature, you can feel your legs begin to give way beneath you. 

What were you thinking, trying to face down this thing? You’re going to die. You’re going to die, and you’re never going to see Adam again.

Adam.

You remember then, your purpose for being here, for facing off against Doomsday shining through the fog of fear that has gripped your mind. You need to buy Val enough time to dig Adam out of that cave-in; you’re the only one left who can.

Otherwise, Doomsday will march right into the command center, murder your adoptive grandfather, and the man you love.

You grip the pulse rifle even tighter, your brow set as you raise the muzzle even higher than before.

Doomsday stomps slowly towards you, almost placid, not bothered or intimidated in the slightest. And why would he be? What threat could you possibly pose him?

“You want them? You’ll have to go through me first,” you say through gritted teeth. It’s more for yourself than for Doomsday – you doubt he cares, if he even understands.

You squeeze the trigger once, twice, three times in quick succession. Pulse blasts tear from the end of the weapon and strike Doomsday square in the chest. On any other foe, they would have been three perfect kill shots.

Doomsday continues to walk towards you as if you’ve thrown pebbles at him instead.

You back away slowly, squeezing the trigger over and over. Red bolts of light fly between you, splashing against Doomsday’s skin like raindrops and having about the same effect; which is to say, no effect at all. 

Or no visible effect, anyway. You’re perversely delighted to see that he has in fact changed course, walking past the tunnel that leads to the command center and instead moving slowly past it and towards you instead.

“C’mon, you fraggin’ bastich!” you shout, using language that would have made Lobo proud. “You think you’re so tough? You don’t scare me!”

It’s a good thing Doomsday doesn’t have a built-in lie detector.

Your bravado is as false as a broken promise, and only deflates further when you feel your back hit a stone wall. Your feet stumble for purchase as they come to an abrupt halt, and you tear your eyes away from Doomsday just long enough to check your surroundings; your exits are blocked on all sides by enormous rocks that you won’t be able to move in time. You’re trapped in a dead end.

Emphasis on the dead, if you don’t think of something.

You’d almost swear that Doomsday’s lip curls in a triumphant smile as he sees what you’ve done. He lowers his head and begins to run, slowly, then quicker, and quicker as you fire faster and faster. The blasts bounce off of the thick protrusions on his head and ricochet off the cave walls.

You’re about to be squashed flat, or run through, or something. There’s nowhere to run, nowhere to dodge, no way past Doomsday and no way to stop him.

You hope, dimly, that you’ve given Val enough time. That Adam is alright, that the two of them have made it out of the caves to the surface. That your sacrifice will buy them enough time.

You hang your head as Doomsday gets ever closer, and you throw the pulse rifle to the ground with a clatter. As you do so, something in your pocket dislodges and lands next to it, a bright light in the otherwise dim cavern, a shining beacon of hope in the face of literal approaching doom.

You drop to the floor and clasp the object as if it’s the only thing keeping you alive – which, if you can time it right, it will be.

Doomsday is only seconds away now, and it roars once again at the top of its lungs, a triumphant scream of pleasure at prey well hunted.

He slows, looming over you, drawing back both of his horrible clawed hands above his head, ready to crash them down on top of you and smash you to bloody pieces.

From this distance, you could almost swear that he’s smiling.

“Not today, arsehole,” you whisper, and press the button on your Zeta-Beam device.

The world goes prismatic, Doomsday’s hands slamming into the teleportation field and bouncing off comically as the world shifts around you.

Another roar, this time of impotence, of disappointment and, of course, rage, reaches your ears, nearly deafening at such close range, but all it does is make you smile as you disappear out out from under the creature, leaving it far, far behind.

**********

Even with it’s toxic atmosphere, you’ve never been so happy to breath the burning air of Wegthor. You land a few feet in the air on the surface of the moon and then plummet to the ground with a thud, but you couldn’t care less. Bruises and scrapes are nothing compared to what Doomsday would have done if you’d been even a second too late with your timing.

You scramble to your feet despite the protestations of your body and look down at your Zeta-Beam device. Two blinking lights illuminate the display, you in the centre, and a second one just a few feet away.

You spin on the spot, peering through the smoky orange dust and spot two figures nearby. You’re moving before you’ve even registered who they are, because there’s only two people they could be.

Val is filthy, covered in dust and soot, but still as composed as ever. Leaning heavily on him is Adam, whose face is a mask of pain. Both of them perk up however when they see you arrive.

“Oh, thank Rao!” Val says, sighing enormously. “What happened? How did you get here? Is Doomsday-”

“He’s still down there. But I got away, I’m okay,” you reassure them both.

“How?” Adam asks, that one word looking as if it takes all of his remaining strength.

You wave your Zeta-Beam device in front of him, pointing at the two lights which are basically on top of each other now. “We’re in this together, whether you like it or not. And as long as we’ve got our Zeta-Beams, no amount of distance will change that. Isn’t that what you said?”

“You could have teleported into a rock!” Val shouts, more exasperated than angry. 

“I was hoping that the surface would have less rocks than the underground caverns,” you tell him pointedly. “And if I didn’t do something, I was definitely going to get killed by that giant monster. I’ll take possible death over definite death any day.”

Val can’t seem to argue with that line of reasoning. Instead, he shrugs towards Adam, who seems to be leaning even harder on him, to the point that Val looks as if he’s going to fall over with the weight. 

Adam is oddly quiet. You’d expect at least one quip or bad joke right now, or a lecture on how reckless you are. But he’s completely silent, eyes downcast, doing everything he can to avoid looking at you.

You step closer, reaching out a hand and placing it on his shoulder. He doesn’t resist. It’s only then that you see his legs dangling loose, as if there’s no pressure being applied to his feet. It’s no wonder Val is struggling.

“Adam? What’s wrong?” you ask, realisation creeping up your throat alongside that dread that you thought you’d left back in the caverns with Doomsday.

Only then, hearing the worry in your voice, does Adam look up. His eyes are wet, with pain, or sorrow, or something else entirely, you’re not sure. He looks you dead in the eyes, and speaks in a still, small voice.

“I can’t feel my legs.”

No words spring to mind. Nothing you could say could possibly comfort him right now. Any platitudes would be wasted, wouldn’t lessen the pain of a loss like this. Losing a friend, losing a loved one is one kind of pain, but losing the ability to fight, to protect those you care about, is entirely different.

You collapse into him, throwing your arms around his neck awkwardly. He does the same, shifting his entire weight from Val to you, as you embrace as hard as you possibly can. The fact that you’re the only thing holding him upright isn’t lost on you.

You feel Adam’s chest heave against yours as he buries his head in your shoulder, feel the anger and the sadness inside him as he holds you tighter and tighter.

Your face remains dry. There are no tears to cry, not right now. You can only imagine how awful Adam must feel, but you have to remain strong. Maybe it’s the adrenaline from successfully evading Doomsday; maybe the magnitude of his injury just hasn’t hit you quite yet. Either way, you hold Adam for as long as he needs, and when his shoulders eventually stop shaking, you whisper into his shoulder, having finally found the words to comfort him.

“I’m not going to tell you it’s going to be okay,” you say, your mouth barely moving. Adam tenses against you, and that’s the only way you know he can hear you. “It might not be. I don’t know if this is temporary, or if there’s something we can do to fix this.

“But I promise you, Adam, that no matter what happens, you’re still a hero. You’re still my hero.”

He sniffs then, and nods, his cheek rough on yours as he does so. He holds himself up, fingers tight as he grips your upper arms so that he can look into your eyes. His own are red and swollen, but there’s a determination there that you hadn’t expected to see.

“I’m not done.” That’s all he says, one sentence, but it’s enough. His spine may be broken, but his spirit, his will, is not. And that’s more than good enough.

You exchange a nod, and motion to Val to help you. Between the two of you, you carry Adam across Wegthor’s surface, towards the waiting Sagitari ship.

Nyssa stands on the gangplank, waiting for you to arrive. She says nothing, only raises an eyebrow as you pass, depositing Adam on the closest flat surface. He leans back against the wall of the ship, sweat beading on his brow and a sigh of relief escaping from between his lips before he can stop it.

“I’ll be okay,” he gasps. “Just need a minute. Go, go help. I’m not going anywhere.”

You squeeze his hand, just the once, the dark humour in that sentence bringing an equally dark smile to your lips. 

Then you join Nyssa and Val on the gangplank, directing the steady stream of rebels into the ship. But one eye is always on Adam, and the other is out over the surface of the moon.

Because as the line of rebels begins to dwindle, as the ship gets more and more full and takeoff becomes more and more imminent, two people are still missing. Two people, the most important people, aren’t here yet.

Where are Seg and Kem?

**********

The sight of Wegthor being torn apart is oddly beautiful, like fireworks at a funeral. The sheer destructive power of all that stelarium exploding at once is a marvel to behold.

Rao knows you’re no scientist, but losing a moon can’t be good for Krypton’s ecosystem. Not that that’s the most pressing problem on your mind, while Zod is still out there.

At least Doomsday is out of action. It may have taken the loss of an entire moon to stop him, but the creature has been defeated. Even if he somehow manages to survive the explosion, he can’t do much damage in the vacuum of space.

“That’s no moon!” says Adam from behind you. He’s still where you left him, of course. He can’t get very far on his own. He looks very proud of himself for some reason; whatever Earth joke he’s making is lost on you.

You just smile at him kindly, and go back to staring out of the window of the Sagitari ship. Your reflection stares back at you from the glass, frown lines creasing your forehead like the cracks on Wegthor’s surface. You wonder if maybe you might break apart from the strain as well, exploding outwards in a shower of beautiful destruction.

The ship had had to take off without Seg and Kem. You’d had to leave your brother and one of your best friends behind – again. The insanity that is your life never seems to cease, the chaos and unfairness of it all a constant source of pain and confusion.

Your heart feels tight in your chest. You know something is wrong. It’s not as easy as them being dead – you know you’d feel something else if that were true. But something is definitely wrong. 

They must have escaped. Seg and Nyssa made their way to Wegthor, there must have been a way for Seg and Kem to escape. It’s a thin hope, but it’s all you’ve got right now. If the Els have taught you anything, it’s that a little hope can go a long way.

And besides, you’ve already lost so much, even just today. The rebellion is in tatters, and General Zod holds the upper hand. Adam...Adam is injured, and you have no idea what that means for the future.

There’s no way you’re going to lose anything else today. The universe couldn’t be that cruel...right?


	9. Strange Flight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Set during the events of Krypton 02x10 - The Alpha & The Omega

“You could have just asked, you know.” 

Nyssa freezes as you enter the room, one of her hands inside Adam’s jacket pocket, no doubt clasped around his Zeta-Beam device. You’ve caught her in the act, there’s no denying what she’s doing, and so she doesn’t even attempt to hide it.

Instead, she draws herself up to her full height, the Zeta-Beam device indeed clutched tightly in one hand as if it’s the only thing stopping her from flying away into space, and a look of grim determination on her face.

“He would never have said yes,” she says as you enter the room proper. Adam, propped up against the wall of the ship, continues to gently snore, not a care in the world.

You’d made your escape from Wegthor fairly uneventfully, and now Val was on the bridge piloting the ship back down to Kandor. Thankfully, Seg had contacted you all – safe aboard the skimmer that had borne he and Nyssa to Wegthor in the first place. But Kem...Kem hadn’t made it. You were still trying to process that one. It hadn’t really hit you, not quite yet.

Adam meanwhile had been seen to by something approximating a healer, and you’d wandered off to try and see if you could be useful somewhere while he slept, anything to keep you occupied and out of your own head, but there wasn’t much to do until you got back to Krypton.

So instead, you’d come back here to see if Adam needed anything, and found Nyssa engaged in petty theft.

Some part of you thinks you should be angry. She’s stealing one of the few things Adam has to call his own; his only way back to his own time, and the only way you can be sure that you’ll be able to find him, wherever he is in time or space.

But instead you’re just...calm. You take a step into the room and Nyssa takes one back, but you just wave her away.

“I’m not going to try and stop you, Nyssa.”

“You’re not?” Everything about her says she doesn’t believe you, from her posture, coiled and ready to run, to her eyes, narrowed and fixated on nothing but you.

“I’m not.” To prove it, you cross the room as quickly as you can, before she can run, and sit down next to Adam. His snores reach your ears, a small smile playing about his lips. At least he’s found some peace, even if it’s momentary.

“...Why aren’t you trying to stop me? That feels like something you’d do.” Nyssa’s suspicion has ebbed away in favour of curiosity, and instead she sits down cautiously next to you. She keeps the Zeta-Beam device on the opposite side of her body, as far away from you as possible; she’s cautious, not stupid.

“Yeah, probably,” you admit with one last glance back at Adam. “But I get where you’re coming from. I understand what you’re trying to do.”

“And what’s that?” There’s no argument in her voice, just inquisitiveness. She’s guarded, but prepared to let that guard down if she finds a reason. You’re not really worried either way.

“You’re doing what you always do – you’re trying to save your son.”

Nyssa seems to visibly relax, the tension in her shoulders lessening, as if the weight of that responsibility is easing off, just for a moment. “He’s somewhere out there. Brainiac took him away from me, from Seg, and I can’t allow that. I can’t leave my boy out there alone with that...monster. I can’t.”

Tentatively, you reach out to take her hand. Surprisingly, she lets you. A single tear falls from her eye and splashes onto the back of your hand, but you don’t move to wipe it or pull away. This is probably the closest emotionally you’ve ever been to Nyssa, and you don’t want to ruin that.

“Just be careful, please,” you tell her. “I can’t lose anyone else I care about, not after today. Seg’s still out there alone, and Kem...Kem’s not coming back. And we’ve still got a war to win. I can’t have you running head first into danger across the universe without at least promising me you’ll be careful.”

Nyssa squeezes your hand, laughing a little through her tears, a strange noise, half sad, half amused. “I’ll do my best,” she says. “Nothing’s going to keep me from my boy. And if what Adam’s told me about Rann is true, then hopefully I’ll be able to get some help, and then it won’t be half as dangerous.”

“Yeah, Adam talked a lot about Rann. His friend, Sardath, the guy who invented the Zeta-Beam.”

“And Alanna,” Nyssa says, then immediately looks guilty, avoiding your eyes as if she’s sworn in polite company. But you just look back at Adam wistfully, watching him sleep as you would a child.

“Alanna doesn’t threaten me, if that’s what you’re worried about,” you tell Nyssa, and the tension that has shot up her spine ekes away. “She’s Adam’s past. And, for as long as he’ll have me, I’m his present, and his future.”

Nyssa almost snorts, and that brings your attention back to her right away. She looks embarrassed, shaking her head. “I wish I was as mature as you. Whenever I see Seg and Lyta together, I...I can’t even think straight.”

“You love him, don’t you?” You don’t feel like dancing around the issue any longer, but your bluntness doesn’t seem to phase Nyssa at all.

She waits for a moment, and then replies in a soft voice, full of emotion, the same voice she uses when she talks about Jor. “Yeah. Yeah, I do. But I can’t have him, and that breaks my heart.”

For a moment, you’d almost forgotten that Lyta was alive. Seg’s return to Wegthor had been so brief, you’d never really gotten around to processing the fact that the Lyta you had seen murdered was actually a clone created by General Zod, and that he’d been keeping the real Lyta alive, trapped in a hallucination caused by some strange alien plant.

Only on Krypton, you remember thinking with a roll of your eyes.

But Lyta’s return, while a joy for Seg, must have been awful for Nyssa. She’d seen a glimpse of the future she could potentially have with him, together with their son, only for both of them to be ripped away from her. And she was a better person than she gave herself credit for, because she never once thought about trying to steal Seg back – she knew, as anyone who saw them together knew, that Lyta and Seg were meant to be together.

“But I can save our child. I can be a good mother, and a good friend. I can save Jor from Brainiac, and bring him home to his father, to the people who care about him.”

You look Nyssa in the eyes, tightening your grip on her hand so that she’ll look back. “If anyone can do it, you can. There are few things more powerful in the universe than love.”

Nyssa smiles then, a wry smile, but with a surprising amount of pride beneath the surface. 

“I promise I’ll be careful,” she says, standing up and going to peer out of the window of the ship. Pieces of Wegthor float slowly past, fellow travelers on your journey back down to Krypton.

Just then, Adam stirs. It only takes him a moment to realise what’s happened, and then everything else happens at once. He calls for Val, and they both try and appeal to Nyssa’s better nature, to get her to stay here, not to leave on this crazy errand alone, not to risk her life like this.

Through it all, you stay quiet. As Nyssa presses the button the Zeta-Beam device and disappears in a prism of white light, you swear you see her smile at you, just for a moment before she’s gone.

Val and the other assembled rebels soon disperse. There’s nothing they can do now, no way to track her, or follow her. They disappear back to the bowels of the ship, leaving you alone with Adam, who is staring pointedly at you.

“Why didn’t you stop her? Why didn’t you say anything?” he asks you, unable to keep the accusations out of his voice.

You turn and look at him, drawing your own Zeta-Beam out of your pocket as you do so. Two lights flash up on the display. Wherever Nyssa is, Rann or somewhere else, she got there safe.

“I couldn’t tell her not to go. I didn’t have the right,” you tell him.

“What are you talking about? How could you just let her take the Zeta-Beam? We might need it!”

“We’ve always got mine, if we need it. Unless you’re planning on leaving me?”

That’s a poor choice of words, and you regret it as soon as you say them. Adam motions down at his useless legs, and laughs sarcastically. “Yeah, sure, I’m gunna run halfway across Krypton and leave you behind.”

“I’m sorry, Adam, that was thoughtless of me. I didn’t mean it like that.” 

He looks at you sternly for a moment, but his anger melts away like a snowdrift under the rays of Krypton’s red sun and he huffs out a sigh. “I know. It’s taking a little getting used to for me, too.”

You move closer to him, and he doesn’t try to pull away. His frustrations are more at Nyssa, more at himself, than at you. You lean back, so that your head lays on his chest, the sound of his heart beating in your ears, constant and reassuring. 

“So why didn’t you have the right to stop her?” Adam asks, his hands drifting down your arms until they clasp over your chest like a harness. You feel your eyes beginning to close, the warmth and safety that Adam’s embrace affords you giving your body the signal that it can rest, recuperate for what’s to come next.

“I could hardly stop Nyssa from traveling halfway across the universe to save the people she cares about,” you whisper as you feel yourself drifting off to sleep. 

“After all, isn’t that what we always do?”

**********

The trip back to Krypton continues without a hitch. In fact, it’s the vibrations from the ship landing that wakes you, both you and Adam blinking blearily at each other as you come to rest on the icy shores of New Lurvan.

Then everything is hustle and bustle again as the ship disgorges its entire crew of rebels onto the icy landscape, where you reunite with Seg. The outpost you’ve landed near is full of insurgents ready to take the fight to General Zod – not least of which are Lyta, her mother Jayna, and Dev-Em, three faces you never expected to see again.

There’s a solemn affair soon after, as you all come together to mourn your dead. Everyone manages to say something nice about Kem, even Adam, but when it comes to your turn, you can’t bring yourself to say anything. You open your mouth to speak, but nothing comes out. Nothing at all.

Maybe you’re becoming desensitized to loss. Maybe you’d thought that you’ve lost so many people, only for them to come back to you, that you’re not even processing it. Even when Seg tells you how heroic, how self-sacrificing Kem was right to the end, you just can’t bring yourself to accept it. It can’t be true. 

And if it is, then you’ll deal with that later. Right now, there’s a war to win, and you don’t have time to be sad, not again. You’ve done that enough recently, and if there was ever a time to be strong, it’s right now.

A little later, you leave the main room. You’ve had enough moroseness and sorrow for one evening, especially when you’re finding it so hard to feel the same way yourself. Instead, you make your way towards the back room – you’d seen Val taking Adam back there a little while ago, and you want to make sure he’s okay.

As you approach, you can hear their voices, deep in conversation. Adam is waxing philosophic about his home life back on Earth, about how his father didn’t understand him, about how scared he was that he would never amount to anything, that everyone he ever loved has left him.

You’ve heard this, or versions of this, before. You spent so much time alone together in Brainiac’s bottle city before you managed to escape that there are few things about Adam’s past he hasn’t told you. But hearing him tell Val, hearing the pain in his voice as he talks about how useless he feels without his legs makes your heart ache all over again.

Once Val walks out, smiling at you in the hallway as he passes, you slip inside Adam’s room and shut the door.

Adam’s laying there, eyes closed, back flat, legs hanging uselessly off the edge of the small cot he has positioned himself on. It looks uncomfortable, but if he can’t feel them, then maybe it doesn’t matter to him as much.

“Guessing you heard all that,” Adam says without opening his eyes. He knows your presence, in much the same way you know his.

No point in lying. “I did. I heard most of it.”

“I suppose you’re here to tell me that you agree with Val? That I should give up, and stop trying to help?” Adam’s eyes snap open, and he props himself up on his elbows to look at you properly.

“I do agree with Val,” you tell him, sitting on the edge of the cot. He lays back down and rolls over, staring at the opposite wall and not looking at you. 

“Figures,” he pouts. It’d be adorable under any other circumstances.

“You didn’t let me finish.” Adam doesn’t interrupt, but neither does he roll back over to look at you.

“I agree with Val,” you explain. “I think you’ve done enough. You’ve sacrificed more than enough for Krypton, for me, for our friends. If you sacrifice much more, you’re going to end up dead.

“But I’m not going to stop you. I would never ask you not to fight, not anymore. Because I wouldn’t want you to ask me either. The same way I couldn’t stop Nyssa from doing exactly the same thing we’ve always done, I couldn’t ask you not to fight when I know full well that if I was in your position, I’d want to do exactly what you want to do.”

Adam still doesn’t move. You lay down next to him, slipping your arms around his waist and pressing your head into his back.

“I’m not going anywhere, Adam. And if you want to fight, then we’ll fight together. Whatever it takes. To our dying breaths, if it comes to it.”

For a moment, you lie there in silence, listening to Adam’s breathing, feeling his back rise and fall under your cheek.

“It better not come to that,” he says suddenly. “Neither of us are gunna die. There’s still so much I wanna show you, so much we’ve gotta do.”

“Then we won’t die,” you tell him, as easily as if you’d told him what you want for dinner. “Simple as that.”

“Simple as that, huh?”

“You heard me.”

**********

The following morning, it’s time for battle. You know that by now, General Zod will be aware of your location. It’s not like you can land a Sagitari ship this close to a settlement and expect to go unnoticed. He’ll be on his way, and he won’t be alone.

But that’s where Seg and Lyta come in. While you all keep Zod’s army distracted, they can find the General himself and finally put an end to all this once and for all.

Before that though, you need to speak to them. Not that you have any intention of dying today, but the sheer amount of unsaid things that remain between you and Kem gives you pause, and you won’t have that happen again.

You catch up with the two of them as they’re boarding their skimmer. You slide to a halt, nearly falling flat on your face in the snow, your complete lack of coordination enough to make both Lyta and Seg stop what they’re doing.

“Are you alright?” Seg asks, barely hiding a smile as he places a steadying hand on your shoulder.

“Yeah, I’m fine, fine. Snow is one thing, but all this slush is something else entirely.”

Seg nods in agreement, kicking at some of the dangerous substance that makes the ground slick and your feet unsteady. Hopefully it’ll work in your favour against the Sagitari.

“Did you need something?”

“Oh! Yes!” You feel a little sheepish now, all things considered, but that’s not enough to stop you. You wait for just a moment, weighing up what you want to say, and then decide to throw caution to the wind and your arms around Seg.

He’s surprised for a second, but then his strong arms wrap around you too, and you embrace each other.

“I just wanted you to know how proud I am of you, before you go,” you tell him as you separate again. You’re acutely aware of Lyta staring at you from the other side of the skimmer, but you’ll get to her in a moment.

“You’re doing that whole self-sacrifice thing again, Seg, but I can’t argue with you about it anymore. Not when you’re inspiring all these people to fight, all these people to unite and rise up against General Zod’s evil. I just wanted to say thank you, that’s all. I’m proud of you, and thank you.”

“You’re...welcome?” Seg says, not really sure what to say. “I’m just doing the right thing, that’s all.”

Your heart doesn’t have any room left in it for more pride – it feels as if it’s going to explode any second now.

You give Seg one final smile, then round the skimmer to the other side. Lyta raises an eyebrow, and is even more surprised when you throw your arms around her as well.

It takes a little longer than with Seg, but she returns it, if reluctantly. She pats your back in confusion, and gives you a perplexed look when you finally release her.

“Are you proud of me too?” she asks, trying to gauge the situation, and get the measure of you.

“Yes, but that’s not what I wanted to say to you,” you tell her, getting straight to the point. “I know we have our differences. I know it’s never really been easy between us, for whatever reason.” You shoot a shy look over at Seg, who is steadfastly pretending to be extremely interested in the skimmer’s landing gear and not your conversation.

“I said some horrible things to...the other you. The clone of you.”

“Whatever you said to her, she probably deserved it. But she wasn’t me. I’m not her.” Lyta says it as if she’s explaining the situation to a child, but not unkindly. You shake your head.

“That’s not what I mean. I just...I was really horrible to her. Alright, she was horrible to me too, but that’s not the point. I just thought...maybe, if we get through all this intact...I think we should try and get along. Try and be better friends. We have so much in common, after all.”

Again, you look over at Seg, who has begun to whistle as loudly as he can to blot out the pair of you.

You aren’t sure where you expected this to go, but you know that you had to try. Being the first to extend the hand of friendship might go a long way.

Lyta considers for a moment, glances back at Seg once more, and then seems to come to a decision. She nods sharply to herself, and then looks at you, offering her hand to shake.

“I think we both owe each other that much. I’m sure it won’t be easy, but...if you’re willing to try, then so am I.”

You grab her hand and shake it firmly, probably tighter than she expected, but she doesn’t pull away.

“My two favourite people, finally getting along? Great, I think we’ve used up our one miracle for the day, well done you two,” Seg scolds, finally taking part in the conversation he has so very obviously been eavesdropping on.

You and Lyta share a glance, and both roll your eyes in perfect unison before bursting out laughing. You don’t think you’ve ever heard Lyta laugh before.

“I’d tell you both to be careful,” you finish, “but that’d a waste of time. Just look out for each other, okay? Come back safe.”

Lyta and Seg also share a glance, and one look at them shows you how obviously in love they are. It’s in the way they move, the way they speak, the way they act around each other, as if they’re always aware of where the other person is, what they’re doing, what they’re about to say. As if they’re one organism split in two, perfectly in sync. 

You wonder if that’s what it’s like when you and Adam are together.

“Yeah, I think we can manage that,” Seg says, throwing himself up into the skimmer’s cockpit. He extends an arm and helps Lyta up too, and the pair of them smile out at you as the skimmer’s heat shield begins to descend.

You step back as the engines fire off, and wave at both of them as the skimmer picks up speed and begins to rocket away into the Outlands, and hopefully towards General Zod.

You stand and wave until the skimmer has vanished into the distance, and then return to Adam, who is checking his pulse rifle for the fiftieth time since you woke up this morning.

“Say what you needed to say?” he asks without looking up.

“Yeah, I think I did. It feels good, to clear the air with Lyta. After everything we’ve all been through, it doesn’t make any sense to fight amongst ourselves anymore, you know?”

“I bet if we gave you the chance, you’d make friends with General Zod himself.”

“I don’t think we can save the world with the power of friendship, Adam,” you tell him with a chuckle.

“Ah, but wouldn’t that just be a happy ending?” he asks, finally looking up at you as he lays his pulse rifle down on the cot next to him.

You throw a pillow across the room; it sails through the air and hits Adam square in the face. He falls backwards theatrically, shouting “Man down! Man down! Medic!” as he does so. As his back hits the cot proper, he closes his eyes and sticks his tongue out in some comedic approximation of death.

“I love you, you idiot,” you tell him, planting a soft kiss on his forehead.

“Revived, by the power of true love!” Adam says, eyes snapping open again. 

You whack him once more with the pillow for good measure, hoping that the upcoming battle will be this easy to win.

**********

Blaster fire ricochets around you, lighting up the snowdrifts with blazing red light. Screams and shouts fill your ears over the pounding of your heart, and the smell of blood and singed flesh is everywhere around you.

You hunker down behind a row of crates, breathing heavily. The battle hasn’t been going on for very long, but you feel as if you’ve been running like you did back on Colu, adrenaline flooding through your system so that all of your movements are exaggerated and over the top. 

The pulse rifle is both a reassuring weight in your hand and one you wish you could drop entirely. But that’s not an option, not right now. You need to help buy time, you need to keep Zod’s forces occupied long enough for Seg and Lyta to enact their part of the plan.

So you’re doing your best. You’re not sure how many people you’ve actually hit, but you’re not dead, and neither are the rebels fighting around you, so you’d say that’s probably a good sign.

And, secretly, you’re keeping an eye on Adam. Behind you is the shack that he’s been sleeping in, and you know that he’s laying in wait for any Sagitari foolish enough to try and break in. 

Your reasoning however, is that if you can keep all of the Sagitari away from the shack in the first place, then Adam could get through this entire battle without even having to fire a shot.

One part of you thinks that maybe Val knew what you’d be doing, how you’d be half-distracted by Adam’s immobility, so he’d assigned you as close to Adam as possible. You’ll have to thank him for that, if you make it out of this alive.

You poke your head up above the crates and fire two quick blasts. They both go wide, but the approaching Sagitari are forced to dive to the side out of range for just a moment, and your flanking squad easily picks them off.

Taking a life shouldn’t be easy – you know that. You’ve grappled with the idea for a while now, and managed to avoid having to for the most part. Maybe some faceless Sagitari here and there, who you’ve managed to run past. If you don’t get to stop and see   
who they are, they can stay faceless, not real, nothing to get attached to.

But now, faced with an encroaching army, whose bodies will definitely be left on the battlefield if you do kill them, the morality of it all hits you hard, and not for the first time.

You know that you can do it. If you have to. But actually having to do it is entirely different. All you can do for now is aim, fire, and deal with the consequences later.

Another group of Sagitari approach, this one larger than before, and you open fire once again. The rifle bucks in your hand like an unruly animal, and you slam it down onto the crates to steady your aim. 

It only takes a second for you to realise that there are too many this time. For every one that falls, another two take their place, and they’re getting closer.

You duck back down as they return fire, waiting for a gap in their assault. Your fellow rebels scream around you, and the one closest to you falls backwards, a gaping wound burned into their chest and glassy eyes rolling back in their head.

You didn’t even know their name, and now they’re dead. Now, you’ll never get to find out.

Then, the remnants of the Sagitari swarm around the crates, heading directly for the shack. 

Directly for Adam.

If they open that door, if they get into that shack, then Adam...

Before your thought is complete, before you even know what you’re doing, you’ve rolled across the snow and scooped up your fallen comrade’s rifle. With one in each arm, you shout, a battle-rage descending like you’ve never known before. Everything is red, the same burning red as the pulse blasts that you sink into the backs of the Sagitari that dare to threaten Adam.

They fall immediately, hitting the snow with very final thuds. You keep firing, spinning on the spot, until the entire squadron has collapsed at your feet. 

The speed and ferocity of your attack was such that they never stood a chance. You’re panting even heavier now, your brow beaded with sweat despite the freezing snow. 

You look down at the Sagitari around you, dropping your rifles without another thought. Some of their visors are open, their faces blank masks of shock or confusion. They weren’t expecting death from behind.

Sadness wells within you; most of these people were only fighting on Zod’s orders. Some of them might have been somatically reconditioned. They probably didn’t want to fight at all. And yet, you’ve killed them.

But if you hadn’t, they would have killed Adam. They would have killed you, and then Val, and then everyone else you care about.

Instantly, the moral turmoil that has been seething within you for Rao only knows how long, disappears. You know now, with absolute certainty, that this is the right thing to do.

It might not look like it. It might hurt people, and it might not be easy to live with. The faces of those around you will live in your memory forever, laser-etched into the back of your mind. But you don’t feel bad about doing it. You know you had to. You didn’t want to. If there had been any other way, then you would have taken it. 

Jax-Ur had been right, and wrong, all at once. You were capable of violence, if need be. You could hurt people, and, the evidence at your feet, kill. 

But you haven’t lost yourself in the process. Yes, you’ve changed. The you that worked at Kem’s bar, and first met Adam, would have balked at the idea, never taken up the rifle in the first place. But the you you are now? That you, is capable of anything to save the people you care about.

You’re different. But you’re not bad. You’re not evil. You don’t enjoy what you’ve done. But you can see why it’s necessary, and you’d do it again, if you had to.

And in fact, you might have to. While you’ve been standing among the dead, another shout has risen up over the outpost – more Sagitari are on their way. You look down once more at the bodies at your feet, whispering a silent prayer to Rao, or any other god who might be listening, that they find rest. You’re not sure if anyone will hear, but given everything you’ve seen so far, the existence of gods wouldn’t surprise you in the slightest.

Then you collect your rifle from where it had fallen, dust the snow off the sight, and return to your post.

“Everything okay out there?” Adam shouts, his voice muffled by the walls of the ramshackle building.

“Everything’s fine, Adam. We’ve got this, don’t you worry.”

“I’ve got this,” you whisper to yourself, reloading your rifle and taking aim.

**********

Somehow, someway, you’ve won. Seg and Lyta have defeated and imprisoned General Zod. The remaining Sagitari, and Krypton’s populace, have sided with you. Things can almost get back to normal.

Of course, there’s still the problem of Brainiac. He’s still out there somewhere, with Jor-El. But there’s nothing any of you can do about that right now, and for one night at least, you can take a break and relax.

There’s a party planned, apparently, once Seg and Lyta get back from Kandor. Val might have struggled to keep the rebellion in line, but he’s a hell of a party planner, and the bartender at the outpost is well prepared for just such an occasion.

For the next few hours though, you’ve got nothing major to do. You’ve helped clear some of the dead Sagitari off of the battlefield, saying some silent vigils as you do so, and now you’re kind of at a loss.

Jayna and Dev are going out to investigate a nearby meteor landing, but that didn’t sound particularly interesting – plus there’s very clearly tension between them that you don’t want to involve yourself with. You wonder how Lyta will react to her mother and her former betrothed getting together. That’ll be an awkward conversation.

You’re walking through the camp, exchanging victorious smiles with anyone who meets your eyes, with no particular destination in mind when Val flags you down.

“Everything okay?” you ask as you approach, “did you need me to do something?”

“No, no, I think you’ve done plenty already,” he replies, falling in step beside you as you pass. “I heard about what you did during the battle; I have to say I didn’t expect quite so much from you. But then I shouldn’t underestimate you. You’ve proven yourself more than once before.”

“I didn’t know I had it in me either, if we’re being honest,” you admit with a shrug. “But they were closing in on Adam. I just...saw red.”

Val just smiles at that, leaving the sentiment in the air between you, his meaning clear; love is a powerful weapon. Far more powerful than Zod and his fear.

“Where are we going?” you ask. You’d been walking, but with no direction in mind, just following along beside Val. He taps his nose conspiratorially, then inclines his head towards a metal case he’s holding that you hadn’t noticed before now.

“I found something while we were shifting things about, and I’ve made a few modifications. It’s for Adam, and I thought you might like to be there when I give it to him.”

You quirk an eyebrow, but Val refuses to elaborate further. Instead, you both lapse into silence as you cross the camp to Adam’s shack.

“Oh, finally! Did you get lost or something? I thought I was gonna die alone in here!” Adam exclaims as the pair of you walk through the door.

“As if we’d ever be able to forget about you,” you shoot back. But Adam isn’t looking at you – instead, he’s staring over your shoulder at Val, who is regarding him curiously.

“What? Why are you looking at me like that?” 

Val’s mouth tweaks up at the edges into a small smile. “I have something for you, Adam. I think you're going to like it.

“Here, I’ll leave you two to it,” he says, placing the case between the two of you on the floor and departing without another word.

Adam looks down at it. So do you. Then he looks up, meeting your eyes, not sure if he should be quietly hopeful or not.

You nudge the case towards him with a foot. “Well?”

“I don’t know if I want to open it,” he says. “What if it’s not...what if I’m...” His voice is small and unsure, an unfamiliar sound to you. Adam’s always so cocky and confident, even when he’s faking it. 

“What if isn’t going to get us anywhere. Open the case and see what it is. And then we’ll deal. We always do.”

Adam’s mouth tightens into a dead straight line, then he inhales sharply through his nose, leans over, and pops the lid of the case.

It opens without fanfare, the lid flipping back to reveal a reddish brown outfit, with several silvery rods seemingly attached to it. Whatever you were expecting, this wasn’t it at all.

“...Huh,” Adam says, clearly as unimpressed as you are.

You move forward and take the suit from the case, holding it up in front of you. It’s all one piece, and the metal rods slide up and down the body. There’s extra support around the legs and waist, some rudimentary control panels on one arm, and a conspicuous section on the back that appears to be missing a piece.

You look back at the case to see another metal item, this one more triangular, with what appears to be an exhaust port at one end.

Suddenly, it all makes sense.

“I know what this is,” you say, amazed at Val’s ingenuity and at how fast he’s managed to turn this around. 

“What? What is it?”

“Let me help you put it on, and I’ll explain.”

Adam’s already taking off his jacket. You’ve never seen him get undressed this fast; you almost feel a little slighted, but he’s allowed to be excited – if this really is what you think it is, then he has every reason to be. 

Once Adam has stripped to the waist, he begins to have trouble. His unresponsive legs make it difficult to kick off his sneakers, and removing his jeans without help is almost totally impossible.

You drop to your knees, helping him as quickly as you can. The one good thing about the nature of his injury is that he doesn’t feel any pain, but that’s a small comfort. 

In almost no time at all, Adam’s down to his underwear. You can feel yourself blush, and try to turn away before Adam notices.

“Nothin’ you haven’t seen before,” he says. So much for that.

You look back sheepishly. Adam raises his arms like a child asking to be picked up, and you grab him around the wrists. You pull him to his feet, but he overbalances and falls forward, wrapping his arms around you to stop himself hitting the ground.

He’s warm, surprisingly so given how cold it is outside, and the fact that the shack isn’t exactly insulated. The feeling of his bare skin beneath your hands makes you burn even more; but now is not the time for that.

Adam seems conflicted, gripping you tightly, and there’s a hunger in his eyes when he looks up. You give him a look, one that makes an unbreakable promise without speaking a word. 

“Okay, here we go.”

With some clever maneuvering, you manage to get Adam’s legs into the suit. It opens entirely at the back, and once you slide him into it, he can manage most of the rest himself.

“Zip me up?” he asks, throwing a thumb over his shoulder as he stuffs his arms into the sleeves.

With one smooth motion you draw the zipper up and over his butt, and his back, until it comes to rest at the base of his neck.

You step back and look at Adam, who stands, unaided, in the centre of the room.

“How do you feel?”

Adam looks down at himself, eyes wide. He’s standing ramrod straight, the braces threaded through the suit propping him up. 

Cautiously, he raises a foot. It leaves the floor. He puts it back down, tries the other one. The same result. Then he puts one in front of the other, and slowly, then much more quickly, crosses the room to you.

“I can walk. I can walk!”

You’re smiling then, a wide, wide smile, and you feel the ball of tension that has been sitting just below your sinuses since you realised what the suit was dissipate as tears of pure happiness erupt from your eyes. You wipe them away as quickly as you can, only for more to replace them as you see the look of joy on Adam’s face.

“What the hell is this thing? How can I do this? I thought...I never thought I’d walk again!”

“Back before the snowstorms on Krypton were as bad as they are now, we used to send scouts out into the Outlands,” you explain. “They had these suits; they were reinforced so that the scouts could walk through thick snow. Val’s tightened up the tension in the braces, so it doesn’t take as much effort from your body to move your legs. You won’t be running any marathons, but as long as you’re in that suit, you can move under your own steam again.”

Adam’s looking down at his feet, flicking them out, wiggling them, just enjoying being able to move them at all. He still can’t feel them – no technology can repair his spine, at least none that you know of, but this isn’t a bad start at all.

“This is...I gotta go thank Val. I know he said he’d think of something, but I never dreamed...”

Adam’s off towards the door faster than you expect; he’s getting the hang of the suit already. But there’s something else, something that will make this even more exciting for him.

You collect the triangular metal item from the case and move in front of Adam, blocking his way.

“Hey! What gives?”

“Turn around.”

Adam looks frustrated, but he does as you say. You clip the attachment into place, and then there’s a beeping noise as he turns back around. He looks down at the control panel on his wrist, which has burst to life.

You watch as Adam’s eyebrows knit together in confusion as he reads the display. It’s mostly pictographs, rather than Kryptonian, so he should be able to understand what it means. The confusion gives way to realisation, and then delight as he looks back up at you.

“Does this mean what I think it means?” he asks, barely able to contain himself.

You hold out the last item from the case – a metal helmet, complete with a shining orange visor. There’s a little fin on the top for aerodynamics. He takes it gladly, and jams it down on his head.

Standing there in his new outfit, decked out head to toe in reddish brown, accented in silver, the helmet on his head and a giddy smile on his face, he cuts an impressive silhouette. 

You’ve never seen any of the other Justice League members in person, but Adam’s described them to you more than once. You were always a little surprised that they all had their signature outfits, something to identify them as more than everyone else around them. Now, that’s what you see when you look at Adam.

He looks like a superhero.

**********

When you first realised that Adam would be able to fly with his new jetpack, you didn’t think that his first flight would be into the ceiling of the outpost bar.

He collides with an enormous crash, and then falls back to the ground, face down.

You tense all over, ready to rush to his side, but then he bursts out laughing and you roll your eyes so hard that you expect Rao himself to appear and scold you for it.

He’s soon surrounded by people, who are laughing along with him and offering him more drinks. He looks happy, and you’re loathe to interrupt that.

Instead, you look around at the rest of the bar, at your assembled friends and family, who are in the throes of enjoying themselves after a hard-won victory. The absence of certain individuals is conspicuous, however.

Val is propped up on a chair, mouth open, snores loud enough to be heard over the rambunctiousness of the rest of the party. Who’d have thought the great Val-El was a lightweight?

Dev and Jayna are on their way back from their patrol. There’d been a garbled communication about what they’d found, but nothing conclusive enough to worry about just yet. 

Nyssa is still missing. You don’t expect to see her again for some time. But you’ve no doubt that wherever she is, she’ll be giving Brainiac hell for what he’s done to her and her family. Something tells you Seg won’t be sitting around waiting for her to come back, either, and you’re fully prepared to go with him too – but that’s also a problem for another day.

Seg himself is chatting with Lyta, the biggest smile on his face. He may have had to defeat his son to get to this point, but he’s not letting that get to him; he’d been at peace with the monster Dru-Zod had become for a long time, and you don’t expect this will weigh on his or Lyta’s mind for very long.

A large shape looms by the window. A large, familiar looking shape. 

You’re not sure how, but Lobo has made his way to Krypton.

You freeze, but something about his demeanour, the way he’s quaffing from a drink in each hand and laughing with everyone around him makes you relax just a tiny bit. 

Whatever he’s here for, it’s not murder. Not this time. Probably.

Seg has also seemed to notice him, and is marching across the room towards him. Even without his Brainiac powers, Seg can handle Lobo – especially in a room surrounded by allies.

At least, you hope so.

Mildly satisfied that the situation is under control, you grab your drink and wander outside. The chill air is brisk in your face, and quite sobering. You weren’t drunk, nowhere near, but the pleasant buzz that the (surprisingly good) Kandorian ale that the bartender had served had given you wears off very quickly.

You stand a few feet away from the outpost and sip your drink quietly. The sound of celebration continues behind you, and you smile to yourself. It reminds you of another bar, a lifetime away, where similar scenes played out on a regular basis.

Kem would have loved to have seen this.

A single solitary tear runs down your face, solidifying into an icy crystal almost instantly. You pick it off your cheek with your free hand and blow it out into the snowdrift.

“Here’s to you, brother.”

You raise your ale to the sky to Kem’s memory, then drain the rest of the cup in one swig.

“You tryin’ to catch up with me?” says a voice, and you’re not surprised to see Adam sneaking out behind you. 

There’s a bruise blossoming on his forehead from his collision with the ceiling, but otherwise he’s doing well – he’s already moving far better with his new suit than he was only hours before. He may not get back to full speed, and he won’t be running any races, but he’s got far more mobility than he would have had otherwise, and he seems grateful for that.

“Pretty sure I could drink you under the table even on your best day, Earth-man.”

He joins you, one hand around your waist. “Why so glum? We won!”

You hadn’t realised you were glum at all, but it must have been evident on your face. “I guess this just kind of feels like the eye of the storm. Like we’ve solved one crisis, and there’s going to be another one right around the corner.”

“Story of my life. Don’t mention crises, they’re kind of a trigger word for me,” Adam says, and he’s only half joking.

“You know what I mean though, right? We might have stopped Zod, but Brainiac’s still out there. Nyssa’s still missing. And who knows what else has changed now that the timeline’s all screwy? There could be something worse coming, and we’ve got no idea.”

“Hey, you said it yourself – we’ll deal. We always do. You think it was just a fluke that we stopped Brainiac before, and Zod this time? We’re good at this. Okay, it might take us a few tries to get it exactly right, but we manage eventually. Whatever else is going to happen, we got this.”

“Since when did you become the optimistic one in this relationship?” you ask him, and he chuckles in reply.

“I think we take turns, if I’m honest.”

You both stand there in silence for a moment, just enjoying each others company. You lean your head sideways onto Adam’s shoulder, watching the sun refracting through the snowflakes. It’s not storming right now, so the snow is falling lazily through the sky, not a care in the world. It’s strangely beautiful.

“Hey, I got an idea,” Adam says suddenly. “I can take your mind off all this doom and gloom.”

“We’re not making love in the snow Adam, we’ll both freeze to death.”

“That’s not what I meant!” he shouts, affronted. Then his expression turns mischievous. “Unless, y’know, you wanna...”

“No!”

“Alright, alright. That wasn’t what I was gunna suggest anyway. Come flying with me.”

You blink, once, twice. Adam holds out a hand for you to take.

“I’m not following you. How can we go flying?”

“I was talking to Val,” Adam explains, pointing back at the party. “Before he fell asleep, I mean. You were right about where he got all this stuff from, how he modified it. But there’s an anti-grav field built into the suit as well – the scouts used to use them to carry rock samples and stuff back to the major cities to test. As long as you hold on to me tight enough, that field will extend all around you. I can carry you, and we can go flying together.”

You’re not quite sure what to say. The idea does sound appealing, but…

“Shouldn’t you practice a little first? After what happened in there...” you say, poking at the bruise on Adam’s head. He winces away and slaps at your finger.

“Ouch. Okay, point taken, but there’s no ceilings out here for me to hit myself on, so I feel like I’ll be okay.”

“What if you go up, and can’t come back down?”

Adam waves you away. He’s not concerned, clearly. But the thought of surviving two wars for the fate of your planet only to die because your idiot boyfriend dropped you from a hundred feet in the air isn’t very appealing.

He holds out a hand then, giving you a look that silences any further protests. “At the risk of sounding like a Disney movie, do you trust me?”

“Of course I do,” you say without thinking. “But-”

“No buts. Come on. I’ve seen Superman do this a million times, how hard can it be?”

You hesitate just for a moment, then step forward and take Adam’s hand. He’s right – you do trust him. You don’t think he’d do anything that would put either of you in danger.

As soon as your hands clasp together, Adam pulls you in tightly. You wrap your arms around his neck, holding on with all your might, and feel his hands shift under you as he finds the jetpack controls on his forearm.

You hear the roar of the engine as the jetpack kicks into gear, and feel the vibrations as it shakes Adam’s entire body. For a second, you don’t think anything’s going to happen. Then your feet leave the floor, and you’re flying up, up, and away from the outpost.

“Woohoo!” Adam shouts triumphantly. You risk a glance over at him, and the unbridled joy on his face is enough to squash any other fears you might have.

The outpost grows smaller and smaller, until Adam sets into a cruising altitude. To anyone observing, it’d look like you were walking on air, the two of you holding each other tightly and looking down at the planet you’ve fought so hard to save.

“This is amazing, Adam,” you breathe, not sure where to look.

Off in the distance is Kandor, its force shield glowing brightly as the sun begins to set behind it, Brainiac’s ship no longer a permanent fixture on the skyline. 

The snow up here is thicker, but not uncomfortably so. It settles on your skin and melts almost instantly against the warmth of you. If it was beautiful down on the ground, it’s absolutely breathtaking up here.

A view like this makes all the fighting and loss seem almost worth it.

“You’re amazing,” Adam says suddenly, and you turn your head to see him ignoring everything around you both, looking only at you. Even with all of the beauty surrounding you right now, he only has eyes for you.

Neither of you say anything else. You lean in until your lips meet, hungrily kissing each other as if you’ve never kissed before. Your hands drift upwards and under Adam’s helmet into his hair, tangling it around your fingers as you pull him towards you, desperate for as much contact between you as possible.

Adam initially tastes of beer, which almost ruins the mood, but it soon subsides in favour of victory, of triumph, of passion, of love. It’s a hard-won kiss, a kiss that sometimes you never expected to be able to have, which makes it all the sweeter.

And so, as the sun rises over a new day on Krypton, a day bringing with it a bevy of possibilities, an unknowable future.

But for now, just for a little while longer, you enjoy the love that you’ve fought so hard for. You enjoy your Earth-man, the feel of him beneath your hands, the taste of him on your lips, the love that binds the two of you together like a bulwark against all that the universe throws against you.

Your love for each other has gotten you through so much already. And, as Adam said, it will get you through whatever else comes your way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have one more chapter planned. With Krypton's unfortunate cancellation (don't even get me started), I had to think about what I wanted to do next. Did I want to turn this into a finish-it-fic, and try to guess where everything was going? Or did I want to end my story here and now? It was only when I started thinking about how I wanted to end the story that I realised I'd been working towards something right from the very beginning, maybe without even realising.
> 
> If Krypton gets saved, then I'll gladly delete the final chapter and we'll keep going. I can always use my planned ending later on, if it still seems appropriate. But for now, I hope it's a satisfying conclusion to this story, if not Krypton's overall.


	10. Strange New World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Set five years after the events of Krypton Season 2

At long last, the fight is over. The timeline has been restored. All is as it should be. And through it all, you survived.

You survived the Rann/Thanagar War, and your encounters with the Omega Men. Somehow, you managed to broker a peace between two species who had been on a path to mutual destruction.

You survived the judgement of the Guardians of the Universe, and the rise and fall of the Manhunters. You fought alongside the Green Lantern Corps, and saw their light shine bright enough to illuminate even the darkest corners of the galaxy.

You even survived the assault on Apokolips, where you came face to face with Granny Goodness and stood tall in the face of Anti-Life itself.

And you survived your final encounter with Brainiac, which nearly cost all of you your lives. But somehow, with more than a little help from your friends, you defeated him once and for all, and rescued Jor-El.

Through it all, you have lived. Through it all, you have survived. And through it all, you have grown into a new person. A different person, shaped by the hardships and battles that have been both won and lost.

Some things however, have stayed the same. The bond of friendship and family has kept you close to those you care about, inseparable from Seg, from Lyta, from Nyssa, from Val.

And the bond of love between you and Adam has become nigh unbreakable. Even in the face of all of your adversaries, in the face of some impossible situations, your bond has never wavered, never broken. You’ve argued, true. Sometimes you have even come down on opposite sides of a conflict. But the love that exists between you has never shattered, not even once.

So now you stand beside him, hand in hand, a little older, a little wiser, but just as much in love as the first day you met, if not moreso.

“You ready for this?” he asks, looking over at you sheepishly. “There’s still time to change your mind, you know. You don’t have to do this.”

“If you tell me that one more time, I’m going to Zeta-Beam you all the way across the galaxy and throw you head first into the Source Wall, Adam Strange. I’m doing this. We’re doing this.”

“Okay, okay. No more doubts.”

“After all these years, you still doubt how much I love you? Maybe you’re a fool after all.”

“Maybe I am. A fool in love.”

You punch him in the arm, and he winces in shock.

“What was that for?”

“Are you two really sure you should be doing this, if you’re fighting already? Once you go, you know you’re not going to be able to come back if you break up.”

You look away from Adam’s scandalized face to see Seg coming towards you. His arm is linked with Lyta’s, and little Jor runs around their feet, giggling as a child should, without a care in the world.

Behind them comes Nyssa, supporting Val on one arm. He’s getting on now, but he never stopped fighting while there was a fight that needed to be won. He leans heavily on a cane with his other arm, and you must look apologetic because he waves away your concern.

“Don’t give me that look – I wouldn’t miss this for the world.”

The seven of you assemble at the base of a statue, situated in one of the main squares in the rebuilt Kandor. Gone are the days of General Zod’s militaristic design, replaced by a bright, beautiful, and welcoming blue crystal. The square itself is a concourse to travel throughout the city, with the statue smack bang in the centre, surrounded by wildflowers.

The statue has a very familiar face, even after all these years. He wears a defiant grin, as if he’s about to tell a dirty joke and then buy you a drink. A blaster sits on his hip, and a glass of Kandorian ale is raised over his head – a sign that his war is over, and only celebration lies in his future.

It’s Kem, of course. Seg had had the statue commissioned as soon as he had the chance – Kem’s presence has always been at your back throughout all of your battles, but it’s nice to have something to remind you of him, and to show the rest of Krypton the sacrifice he made.

Adam had argued that he should have been holding Doomsday’s bloody severed head instead of an ale, but you’d argued him down on that point.

It’s fitting that you meet here. If you’re saying goodbye to your friends, then Kem should most definitely be counted among them.

“Be careful, Jor! Don’t tread on the flowers!” Nyssa says, shepherding the errant child away from the flowerbed before he can do any permanent damage.

“He’s a handful,” she says with a shrug. “But I wouldn’t change him for the world.”

You’ve no doubt about that. Nyssa has moved the cosmos to rescue her son, and now that she has him back, she’ll never let him go again.

“So, shall we go over the plan one more time?” Lyta asks, looking around at you all. Always the first one to get down to business – once a Primus, always a Primus.

“Grandpa, you understand it better than the rest of us. Take it away.” Seg steps back and lets Val take centre stage. From his back pocket, he draws out a small black box covered in intricate circuitry and red, pulsing lines, like veins. Even if you didn’t know it was alive, there was no doubt about it just from one look.

“Thanks to this Mother Box that we secured from our allies on New Genesis, I think I’ve managed to come up with a way to save everyone. Save everything.”

“After all we’ve been through, god knows we deserve it,” Adam interrupts. You squeeze his hand, and he looks apologetic. “Sorry, go on, Val.”

“Quite alright,” Val says. He raises the Mother Box up, and it pulses happily. “So, once our friends here take their trip, I will program the Mother Box to open a Boom Tube at approximately the time that history believes Krypton is supposed to explode.

“Essentially, to the rest of the universe, it will appear as if the planet has disappeared. Jor will send his son to Earth, as must happen, and the rest of Krypton will spend the remainder of its existence in a ghost dimension, adjacent to the Phantom Zone, but without the horrible side-effects and mental torture.

“And thus, everything will be as it should be. Kal-El will go to Earth, and become Superman. The timeline will continue as Adam has always intended for it to be.”

“But Krypton gets to live,” you interject. “It may not be able to rejoin the universe, but it will live. It’s not perfect, but it’s a damn sight better than our entire civilization getting destroyed.”

Val nods his approval. “I’ve racked my brain as hard as I can, and I can’t think of any other way for this to go. At least this way, everyone lives. We may not be able to be together, but we can be safe in the knowledge that we’re all alive and well.”

“I’m going to miss you,” you say to your assembled friends and family. It feels too small, but you can’t capture the complexity of the feelings you’re experiencing to condense them into simple words.

You’ve all been through so much together that the idea of never seeing them all again is almost unfathomable.

But this is how it has to be. 

“We’re going to miss you too, more than anything,” Seg says, looking at the others, who clearly share his opinion. “Breaking up a family like this...it goes against everything we stand for.”

“But I have to go back,” Adam says. “I can’t stay on Krypton, not when my job’s done. I have to go back to Earth, to my time. People there need me too.”

“And if Adam’s going, then I’m sorry, but I’m going too,” you say softly. None of your friends are surprised. In fact, they look...understanding. Sad to see you leave, but happy that you’re happy, all at the same time.

“As if there was ever any doubt,” Lyta says kindly. The two of you have grown much closer over the past few years, to the point where you can barely remember not being friends. You both made the effort, as you said you would, and it has paid off. You’re glad that, if you have to leave, at least she and Seg have each other to lean on.

You and Adam share a look, and then break hands, going to each of your friends in turn to say one final goodbye.

You begin with Jor, who is looking up at you and Adam with confusion on his little face. He looks so much like Seg, but he has Nyssa’s hair, and that cunning look in his eye like he’s always one step ahead, except for right now. 

“Be good for your mum and dad, Jor. Don’t give them too much trouble, alright?”

“Okay,” he says quietly. “Do you really have to go? I wanna play some more.”

You knew you’d cry today. You didn’t know it’d be so early on. You bite your lip, feeling the sorrow welling up behind your eyes, and pull the little boy towards you. His tiny arms thread around your neck and squeeze impossibly tight.

“I love you, little one. Never forget that.”

“I won’t, promise. Love you too.”

You sniff extremely hard, and wipe your eyes, plastering a fake smile on that will hopefully fool Jor long enough for you to hand him over to Adam.

“Hey buddy!” he says, and you leave the two of them alone, standing up and turning to Nyssa instead.

“I’d tell you to stay out of trouble,” you say to her, “But I feel like that’s not your style.”

“You know me so well,” she says with a wink, and then pulls you in just as you did to Jor. “Thank you,” she says, “for everything. For showing me that I could be more than who I thought I was. More than who my father made me.”

“I didn’t do any of that. You did that all yourself. But I’m glad you did. You’re a good person, Nyssa. One of the best I know. Jor’s lucky to have you as his mother.”

One last glance at Nyssa, and then she’s bustling off to take Jor from Adam. She throws him up onto her hip where he stares out inquisitively, still not quite sure of what’s going on.

“I’m so proud of you,” says Val, stepping up to you next. “Asking you to join our House was one of the best decisions Seg ever made.”

You blush, not for the first time. Even after all you’ve accomplished, talking to the legendary Val-El always makes you feel like unworthy of any of your accolades.

“Thanks, Val. Look after yourself, okay? You’re not as young as you used to be.”

“Isn’t that the truth?” he say, smiling your favourite grandfatherly smile. Then he envelopes you in a one-armed hug, the other still leaning heavily on his cane. “Be good. Be strong. Be an El.”

“Or a Zod,” Lyta says, stepping up to you next. “You’d have made a good Zod as well.”

“That’s high praise, coming from you, Primus,” you tease. Lyta rolls her eyes, and then claps you on both your shoulders. 

“I’ve already told Adam this, but it goes for you too – if you mess this up, I will cross time and space and kick both your arses into the Phantom Zone forever. You’ve got a good thing going on; and trust me, I know from good things.”

She steals a quick glance over at Seg, who is locked in an extended hug with Adam. 

“Don’t worry Lyta. I know what I’ve got. I know how hard we’ve fought for it. I wouldn’t be doing this if I didn’t love Adam even half as much as I know you and Seg love each other.”

“That’s exactly what I want to hear,” she says. “And, for the record, that’s exactly what Adam said, too.”

You smile at that; you’ve been together long enough that you know each other’s minds, even when you’re not trying. There’s something comforting about that fact.

“Alright, my turn, Earth-man. Don’t steal all of Seg’s hugs, or you can go back to the future on your own.”

“There’s enough of me to go around, come on!” Seg says, as Adam reluctantly lets go and steps away, trying to look manly with his hands on his hips and his face tilted to the sky to try and hide the fact that he’s openly crying at this point.

One look at Adam is enough to finally tip you over the edge. Tears spill out of your eyes, but you smile despite them. Seg laughs, but it’s only to stop himself from crying too.

“The original trio,” he says. “I can’t believe we’re breaking up the band.”

“It’s for the best, Seg. You have your life to live, and I have mine.” Seg looks down at Jor, back at Nyssa, and Lyta. You in turn look over at Adam, who’s ignoring all of you, his shoulders heaving.

“I know it is. That doesn’t make it any easier.”

“Bye, Seg. Thank you.”

“What for now? I feel like you’ve thanked me so often over these last few years, I don’t even know what it is I’ve done any more.”

“You know what for. I’ve told you enough times,” you shoot back. “So, this last time, it’s just a simple thank you. For being you. For helping me be me. For getting us all here. Thank you, brother.”

Seg just grins, and grabs you with both arms. He and his son give the same type of hug, you realise as you bury your head in your best friend’s shoulder, feeling the tears running down your face and into his jacket. You haven’t cried this much since he and Lyta’s wedding.

You want this moment to last forever. You don’t want to leave, you don’t want this to be the only way. You want to be able to keep your friends and family together, for all the people you love to be in one place for longer than five minutes without a crisis. 

But that’s not how the universe works. You’ve lived in it long enough, dealt with its insanity long enough to know that this isn’t how it works. You get to win – but it won’t look the way you expect, or the way you want.

And inevitably, this has to end. You break from Seg and join Adam, standing apart from the rest of the group. One hand finds his, and you hold it as tightly as you can manage. The other slides into your pocket and finds a comforting object within, worn smooth from repeated use.

“I guess, this is it,” Adam says, addressing everyone. “Time to go.”

“Before you do, we’ve got something for you,” Seg says quickly. “I nearly forgot!” 

He jogs over to a bench a few feet away, collecting a metal case that you hadn’t even noticed before and handing it to you. 

“We thought you’d need this, if Adam’s stories are true.”

You go to open it, but Seg shakes his head. “Not yet. When you get where you’re going.”

“Thank you, Seg. All of you, thank you.” You look around one final time, from Jor to Nyssa, to Val, to Lyta, and to Seg, and up at Kem, staring down from above you.

“Thank you,” Val says then, giving your full name as if he’s presenting you with some award or honour. “For everything you’ve done for us. For being our ally, our protector, our family, and our friend.

“Let our experiences, the battles we’ve shared, the laughter, the sadness, the anger, the tears, go with you on this next adventure. Let them shape you, and make you stronger. Wherever you are, know that all of us are proud, all of us will hold you in our hearts forever. 

“Remember us. Remember Krypton.”

All you can do is smile, feeling the tears streaking down your face, a monument to the love that ties all of you together, no matter where in the universe, where in the timeline you find yourself.

Then without looking, you and Adam both click your Zeta-Beam devices in unison. Through a haze of tears, you see the faces of the people you love for the final time before the world goes prismatic, and you leave Krypton for the last time.

**********

Time traveling with the Zeta-Beam device is disorienting, in that it feels almost exactly the same as travelling through space. It’s only the flashing settings on the display that tell you that you’ve made it to your destination.

You look around, wiping the tears from your eyes so that you can get a better look at your new home.

A large reflecting pool stretches out before you, beautiful clear water glistening in the daylight. Perfectly trimmed trees line the edges of the pool, and at its head is a distinctive white building with a peculiar roof that cuts a unique silhouette into the skyline.

Above you, the sky is a picturesque blue that you’ve only ever seen in your dreams. And hanging in the centre of it all, surrounded by impossibly white clouds, is something you’ve never experienced, even in all your adventures with Seg and Adam.

A yellow sun. 

“Welcome to Earth,” Adam says. He’s stretching his arms out behind his head, taking in deep breaths of his home planet’s air, and dabbing at his eyes when he thinks you’re not looking. He’s also seemingly forgotten what happens to Kryptonians under a yellow sun, but you’re not about to remind him just yet.

“Or welcome to Earth proper, I guess. Not a bottle city or anything this time, at least. And welcome to the Hall of Justice, more specifically. Home of the Justice League.” He points down the concourse towards the building, and then sets off toward it. “C’mon, we’ll be late.”

You’re not sure how you’d manage to be late given that you’ve time travelled to get here, but you’re not that interested in that right now. Instead, you’re concentrating on your body.

You felt it almost as soon as you’d arrived; it began as a tingle across the surface of your skin, but it feels deeper now, as if your entire being is super-charged with electricity. You’d heard about the powers that Kryptonians possess under a yellow sun, but experiencing it for yourself is a whole different thing.

Adam’s too preoccupied right now to talk about it. So instead you just follow him along the concourse, through the doors of the Hall of Justice, through the museum that stands in honour of the Justice League’s accomplishments, and into an elevator that takes you down, down into the bowels of the building.

“Are you nervous?” Adam asks. “I’m nervous.”

You’d never have guessed. He hasn’t stopped twitching since you arrived, and as soon as you’d entered the building he’d been on a non-stop commentary about everything you’d passed, stopping mid-story to begin telling you about something else.

“It’s going to be fine, Adam. What’s the worst that could happen?”

“They could kick us both out, or send us to the Vanishing Point for messing with time, or-”

“Adam. It’s going to be fine.”

You’re not sure where your certainty comes from. You’ve a stranger in a strange new world, but something within you is telling you that it’s true. Maybe it’s the fact that you’ve been so much already, and you deserve a little bit of good luck.

Maybe it’s because you just couldn’t bear it if this didn’t work out the way you hope it will.

Finally the elevator stops, and the two of you emerge into a dimly lit chamber. A round table takes up the majority of the room, and around it are seated the strangest collection of people you’ve ever seen which, given your experiences, is saying something.

Immediately across from you is the grimmest looking man in the history of two planets, dressed all in black body armour, with some incongruously adorable little bat ears poking off the top of his head. His fingers are steepled in front of him, deep in thought.

To his left sits a beautiful woman with thick black hair, and the most welcoming expression on her face, as if she wants to get up and hug you both. Immediately in front of her on the table is a loop of golden thread, which seems to glow in the limited light of the room.

A man you recognise as a Green Lantern, with hair shaved close to his head and calculating eyes takes the next seat, and then right in front of you is a man who appears to be wearing an all-in-one red outfit with a yellow lightning bolt slashed across the front. He waves tentatively, and then shoots at look at the black-clad figure, as if expecting a scolding.

A severe woman with the unmistakable wings of Thanagar, and a rugged-looking man with a wild mane of blonde hair and a shirt of orange chainmail round out the rest of the room. Even from here, he smells of the sea.

“Uh, hi, everyone?” Adam says, stepping forward. “I’m...uh, I’m back.”

“We’ve read your report, Adam,” says the man in black. “Quite the story.”

“It’s more than a story, it’s our life,” you say. You can already tell that the man in black must be Batman – Adam has been...less than complimentary about him over the years, and you can see why.

“Be that as it may, I’m sceptical-” Batman continues, but you cut him off. There’s a sharp intake of breath from Adam, and more than one bemused look around the table from the other members of the Justice League. You get the feeling that Batman doesn’t get interrupted often.

“With all due respect, sir, I don’t care what you think. Adam brought me here as a gesture of goodwill, but I don’t need your approval. We don’t need your approval,” you finish, taking Adam’s hand in a show of solidarity. “That’s not what we came here for.”

“People from different timelines turning up are a more regular occurrence than you’d think,” says the man in red. “Hi, I’m the Flash. You can call me Barry. Remind me to introduce you to my grandson Bart.”

“Hi, Barry.”

Batman scowls even harder, if that’s possible. “Is it wise to tell them who we a-” 

“Oh, do be quiet, Bruce.” This is from the gorgeous woman, who finally relents and stands up, crossing the room and giving you a hug the likes of which you haven’t received since hugging your mother as a child. You feel...safe.

“I am Diana, of Themyscira,” she tells you. “The people of this world call me Wonder Woman.”

“I can see why,” you say before you can help yourself, and Adam chuckles beside you. Diana, Rao bless her, smiles demurely.

“Welcome to Earth. Welcome to our time. Please ignore Batman, he’s very rude.”

“I’m cautious,” Batman retorts.

“Same thing,” says the Hawkwoman.

“Why don’t you tell us why you’re here in your own words? We’ve all read Adam’s communication, but I’m sure you’d much rather speak for yourself.” Diana points to an empty seat at the table, and you sit down, glancing around at the rest of the League.  
Adam takes a seat next to you, placing his helmet on the table in front of him. He gives you an encouraging smile, and a thumbs up.

You tell them your name. You tell them your story. What you’ve endured since Adam’s arrival on Krypton. What you both left behind.

“So here I am. I have travelled through time, through space, to be here with you today. Partly, this is because of Adam. Because I love him, and I would follow him anywhere.”

You look back and Adam is studiously avoiding your eyes.

“But partly, I feel like this is where I can do the most good. I’ve heard that your planet has its fair share of villains, and more crises than you can count.”

“Bad word. That’s a bad word,” Adam says.

“My war at home is over. Adam helped end it. So it’s only fair that I return the favour. If you’ll have me, of course.”

You sit down, although you don’t quite remember having stood up in the first place. You look around the table expectantly, from one Leaguer to the next, but their faces don’t give anything away.

“I think we’ll adjourn for just a moment. You’ve given us all a lot to think about,” Diana says, getting to her feet. The other Leaguers follow suit, and disappear into an antechamber that you hadn’t noticed before, leaving you and Adam alone.

“You did great,” Adam says, leaning over. “I couldn’t have said it better myself.”

“Hopefully it’s enough.”

“What happened to not needing their approval?”

“We don’t need it – but I’d rather have it if we can. If these last few years have taught us anything, it’s that we have to rely on our friends where we can.”

“Can’t argue with that. Plus Justice League membership gets you a discount at my favourite pizza place.”

You’re not sure if he’s being serious or not, and you don’t have time to question him before the Justice League returns and takes their seats.

“We’ve reached a decision,” Diana says, spreading her arms wide. “In an almost unanimous vote,” she gives Batman a very pointed look, “we’re pleased to welcome you to our ranks. On a probational basis, of course, but I don’t foresee any problems.”

The League erupts into polite applause, and you feel yourself smiling. Why validation from this group of strangers means so much to you, you can’t say, but if Adam’s stories are anything to go by, they represent the best of his planet, and to be acknowledged by them...almost beggars belief.

“Hey, uh, where’s Big Blue?” Adam asks once the clapping subsides. “I thought he’d want to be here for something like this. Didn’t he get a vote?”

“Clark cast his vote after reading your communication, Adam. He didn’t even have to think about it. So instead, he decided to go and collect some important friends of ours,” Diana explains. “He should be along shortly. Would you like to go and get changed, and then perhaps you can meet him outside?”

She looks at your metal case, and then at Adam. You feel like you’ve missed something, but the meeting is obviously adjourned for now, as everyone has begun to disperse.

“We’ll have a proper induction ceremony in a few days,” Diana says as she passes you on the way out. “We can introduce you to the world, and to the rest of the League.”

“This isn’t everyone?” Adam asks. “Things have changed since I left.”

“Oh, we’re much larger than ever before. We’ve needed to be – what with all the crises, as you so neatly put it.”

He gulps at the mention of the word, and Diana shoots you a quick wink, which you were not expecting.

Adam shepherds you through another corridor to some living quarters, a simple room with a soft bed, and an adjacent bathroom.

“These are for visitors, mostly. We’ll get somewhere for ourselves as soon as I can sort it out. Little light on funds – time travel doesn’t pay that well.” Adam looks around the room and sighs, then deposits himself on the bed.

“I don’t care where we live, as long as we’re together,” you tell him, and then set the metal case down beside him.

“You gunna open that, or what?”

“Why do I get the feeling that everyone knows what’s in here except me? Even Diana, and I’ve never met her before in my life. Although she’s very nice.”

“Yeah, Wondy’s a peach.”

“Don’t change the subject.”

“I was agreeing with you! Open your present!”

Adam shoves the case towards you and your curiosity overrides your irritation. You pop the lid of the case and feel your jaw drop as it opens. 

Nestled within, shining up at you, is the symbol of the House of El. It’s a brilliant shade of red, amid a sea of navy blue. You slide your hands underneath it, feeling the silky material slip through your fingers as you do so.

You hold the emblem in your hands and watch as a costume unfolds around it, the same navy blue with red accents along the arms and legs. Beneath it lie some matching red boots, and a dashing red cape extends from the back to around your mid-thigh.

“What is...where did...” 

Adam smiles knowingly, enjoying the look of shock and amazement on your face a little too much.

“Val had it made. Once we knew what you were going to do, he thought it was only fair you have your own suit. It’s kinda a thing for superheroes in this era. We thought you might...like to match. Everyone chipped in on the design, and the colours. Do you like it?”

“Like it? Adam, I love it!”

“Well, you heard Diana. Get changed, and then meet me outside. There’s some people here you’ll wanna see.”

Once he’s sure that you remember the way back, he leaves you alone with your new costume. You’d always thought it was a little silly that heroes of Adam’s time wore such garish oufits, but seeing this, seeing the care that Val and your friends have put into it, changes your mind instantly. You can’t wait to put it on.

**********

You take one last look at yourself in the mirror before you head outside, and feel your heart swell with pride – pride in yourself, for the first time in as long as you can remember.

The costume fits perfectly, hugging every inch of your body like a second skin. You thought you’d feel self-conscious, but there’s something about it, something that makes you feel...powerful. Special.

The fact that the symbol of the House of El is emblazoned on the front is probably your favourite part of the design. This way everyone you meet will know who you are, where you come from, and you’ll never forget either. It’s a way of keeping Krypton and the people you left behind with you, always.

You pose with your hands on your hips, puffing out your chest and trying to look heroic. The air all rushes out at once and you deflate with a grin, but for just a moment you look like everything you feel a superhero should be.

You’re not sure how long has passed at this point, so you wrap your cape around you so as not to get it caught in any of the doors (how embarrassing would that be?) and flit through the Hall of Justice back to the atrium.

Through the glass doors you can see Adam’s back, the jetpack still fixed in place. He’s staring up at the sky as you step outside to join him.

“What’d you think?” you ask, and he turns, startled first by the unexpectedness of your appearance, and then by your appearance itself.

“...Wow,” he says after a moment. “You look...incredible.”

“You like it? It’s not too much?”

“Definitely not. You’ll fit right in.”

You’re not sure what he means by that, but you don’t get the chance to ask him before he returns his gaze to the sky and points at a fast-approaching cluster of dots.

“What’s that?”

“It’s the last part of your surprise,” Adam tells you. “Just watch.

And watch you do. The dots move across the sky at high speed, eventually coalescing into shapes, then figures. They land by the reflecting pool, and walk the rest of the way towards you.

For the second time in the space of an hour, your jaw hits the floor.

A tall, broad shouldered man leads the charge, wearing an almost identical suit to yours. His hair curls almost unnaturally across his forehead, and the set of his jaw and the sparkle in his eyes makes it impossible not to realise who this is – Kal-El, Seg’s grandson. Superman.

Next to him is a woman in a simple button-down blouse and pencil skirt, high heels clacking on the concrete tiles as she walks towards you. She’s beautiful, although in a whole different way to Diana; a quick glance at her finger tells you she’s married, at least if you’ve understood how Earth customs work properly, and the way she looks at Kal so fondly tells you instantly who this must be as well – Lois Lane, the only other human in existence who has won the heart of a Kryptonian.

Holding Lois’ hand is a small boy, maybe twelve or thirteen. He has his father’s bright smile, and his mother’s inquisitive eyes, and wears a stylish zip-up hoodie that meets in the middle to form the familiar House of El symbol. You’re not sure of his name, but he must be Lois and Kal’s son, he’s far too similar to both of them to be anyone but.

A dog pads along beside the boy, one eye on you and one eye on him. His fur is sleek and shiny, and a red cape not unlike your own is tied around his collar. Intelligence sparkles behind his eyes; this is no ordinary hound.

To the other side of Kal is a woman, a little older than you, with blonde hair that falls neatly over her shoulders, and yet another costume similar to your own. Hers comes with a pleated skirt and thigh-length boots, and her smile is wide and welcoming.

One of her hands is clasped with that of a man, slightly taller than her, but not as tall as Kal. He’s slimmer too, and stands out for the fact that his costume is almost all red, with blue boots and a blue cape, like an inversion of Kal’s own costume but without the House of El emblem. He’s handsome, with a wiry beard, and even though you and Adam are clearly the main event here, he only has eyes for the woman in the skirt.

By the time you’ve taken in this strange array of people, they’re close enough for you to greet properly. Not that you know what to say. Luckily, Kal is much more prepared than you are.

“Hi,” he says easily, stepping forward. “I’m Clark. But you can call me Kal, if it’s easier. Or Superman, when we’re working.”

He waves his hands across the others, naming them each in turn as they wave or smile (or bark, as the case may be).

“This is my wife, Lois. Our son, Jon. The good boy on the end is Krypto. My cousin, Kara Zor-El, who goes by Supergirl, and her partner, Mon-El of Daxam, also known as Valor.”

“H...Hello?” you say, at a loss for words. All of these people are here to see you – all of these people are descendants of Krypton, or the people that they love the most. 

All of these people are your family.

“And you’re our great, great, great-” Jon begins, his face screwed up in concentration.

“It’s not important, kiddo,” Kal tells him. “They’re family, that’s all that matters.”

You feel like you’re going to cry all over again. You’ve just left one family behind – you knew Superman existed, that was hardly a secret when you were talking to Adam, but you’d never expected him to welcome you with such open arms.

“Are you trying out the hero thing, too?” Lois asks. She seems to be making notes on a pad that she has pulled from somewhere when you weren’t looking.

“We just got here, Lois. Give them a second to breathe.” Kal gives her a look, a look that only a couple in love could share, and the pad disappears just as quickly as it appeared.

“It’s a good question though,” Kara says. “You’ve got the costume. I’m pretty sure we never used to wear things like that on Krypton.”

“You came from Krypton too? I thought-” you begin, but Kal shakes his head.

“There’s a lot of stories to tell. A lot of catching up to do. Why don’t you and Adam come to dinner tonight? We can all sit together and share in comfort, rather than standing out here.”

“That’s a wonderful idea, sweetheart,” Lois says. “Will you be cooking?”

Kal looks decidedly uncomfortable, and Jon pulls a face from behind him that tells you Kal’s cooking is something to be feared. But you nod with as much enthusiasm as you can muster.

“I’d be honoured, truly. If that’s alright with you, Adam?”

Adam has been oddly quiet, having stepped back to let you meet your relatives without his interference. But he inclines his head, and you get the feeling that this was just as planned as your costume was.

“Perfect. Adam knows where we are. We’ll see you at around six?”

You iron out the details, and then it’s time for some swift goodbyes. Jon waves before taking off into the sky. Krypto who sniffs your hand, hovers in mid-air to lick your face, and then takes off after him like a put-upon babysitter.

“It’s so lovely to meet you,” Kara says, giving you a warm hug. “If you’re ever in National City, I’ll have to show you around. See you tonight!”

“And I can tell you all the stories that they’ll think are too scandalous to tell you,” Mon-El adds with a wink.

Lois looks at you like a puzzle to be solved, then seems to shake off her aspersions and nods to herself. “Six o’clock sharp. Bring wine. We’re going to need it, I expect.”

Kal sighs, with a ‘don’t mind her’ type of look in his eyes. “Ignore her, I’m sure we’ll get along fine.”

“Only because you get along with everyone, Smallville,” Lois says with a well-practised roll of her eyes. Then she holds out her arms, and Kal takes her in them easily before waving to you and shooting off into the sky, leaving you completely overwhelmed.

You practically fall over onto the ledge surrounding the reflecting pool, not sure if you’re dreaming, or if someone’s hit you with a Black Mercy, or if you’re dead and Rao has blessed you with some vision of heaven.

Adam, of course, sits down next to you.

“You okay?” It’s a simple question. It should have a simple answer. But you can’t remember the last time your life was simple, and so you open and close your mouth a few times before being able to answer him.

"Just a little...overwhelmed, is all. I never thought...I never dreamed...”

“Hey, it’s okay. It’s a lot to take in. You don’t have to deal with it all at once. We don’t even have to go to dinner if you don’t want to,” he says, rubbing a hand across your back in reassurance.

“No, I want to,” you reply. It’s a tentative one, but as you say it your conviction solidifies. “I owe it to Seg, to meet his descendants. To meet the people we worked so hard to save.”

“Just sayin’, don’t try and do everything at once. I know it’s a lot. It’s a little daunting. But I’m here. I can help you through it all. And if you change your mind, or you want to slow down, or whatever it is you wanna do, I’ll support you. I want to make this as easy as possible.”

You look up at him, at the earnest crook of his mouth, at the concern creasing around his eyes, and you wonder, not for the first time, what you did to deserve someone like Adam.

“I know what would help. If you don’t mind, of course.”

“Anything,” he says without hesitation. 

“Can we just spend some time together, you and me? Show me something. Show me Earth according to Adam Strange, before I have to see it through other people’s eyes.”

Adam thinks for a moment, then stands and extends a hand. “Alright, I know just the thing. But you’re going to have to do something as well.”

“Like what?”

“I know you saw Superman and Supergirl take off. I know you’ve seen me fly around on this crazy thing,” he points over his shoulder at his jetpack, “and I know you must be feeling the power by now. You thought I’d forgotten, right?”  
You had, but of course he hadn’t. He’d merely let you deal with it in your own way, rather than force something else strange upon you. 

“You want me to go flying with you?”

“Yeah, I do. I know we’ve done it lots of times before, but that was different. This time we can do it as equals, rather than me carrying you around.”

“You remember the first time we did that?” you ask him, casting your mind back across the years. “It was snowing, outside of Kandor. Just after we defeated Zod.”

“The first time we defeated Zod, you mean?” Adam asks sardonically.

You roll your eyes, but nod. “The first time, yeah.”

“Oh, I remember. Now let’s make some new memories.”

As if you need any more convincing than that. You take his hand and stand in front of the Hall of Justice beside him, looking up at the sky.

“Do you know how this works?” he asks, looking you over as if you might sprout wings and take off at any moment. “I’ve never really asked Clark or Diana, they just kinda...do it.”

You’re not really sure yourself. You can feel the power that the yellow sun bestows coursing through you, like a permanent injection of adrenaline just below the surface of your skin. You can ignore it, with some effort, and you have been since you got to Earth – the last thing you want to do is super-strength a door off its hinges, or fly through a ceiling.

But now, with only the open air above you and nothing else to hold you back, you close your eyes, and simply let go.

“Whoa! You’re doin’ it!”

Your eyes instantly snap open at the sound of Adam’s voice, and sure enough you’re hovering about a foot off the ground, completely perpendicular, like there’s an invisible floor just above the normal one and you’re standing atop it.

Adam tweaks his jetpack controls and joins you, taking your hand as he pulls up level.

“Okay, ready to go?”

“More than ready.”

Adam heads off first, tugging you along with him. It feels like you’re immersed in a tank of extremely low-friction water, easy to move through without any resistance. 

It takes you a few tries, but you manage to get yourself under control. There are a few mishaps, including a very funny five minutes where you find yourself upside down without any idea how to right yourself, but soon after that you’re flipping, spinning, and soaring to your heart’s content.

Adam floats nearby, the biggest smile on his face as he watches you enjoying yourself.

Even before all the fighting, before the wars and the hardship and the heartache, you can’t remember ever feeling this free before.

And it’s all thanks to Adam. 

Floating here, miles above the Earth city of Washington DC, the sheer amount of love you have for this Earth-man hits you like a punch in the gut.

If he hadn’t traveled through time, you would never have met him. Time would have been irreparably damaged, Krypton would have suffered, and the universe would have ended. But all of that feels insignificant compared to the effect he has had on your life.

You’d never thought yourself capable of love. Rao, you’d never thought yourself capable of a lot of things. But now, here you are, light years and centuries away from your home planet, an adventurer, a time traveller, a superhero-in-training, a refugee from a planet fated to die. 

All of these things and more, because of Adam. 

He’s smiling over at you, and you float over to take both his hands.

“Thank you,” you tell him. “Thank you for this. For everything. For giving me the opportunity to be this. For showing me that I could, and for believing in me when I couldn’t. For staying with me, for teaching me, for loving me. For everything we’ve been through over the past few years, the good, the bad, all of it. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart and beyond, Adam.”

“Hey, don’t mention it. Anyone would have done it.”

“No, they wouldn’t. They might have done the heroic things, saved the day, all that stuff. But they wouldn’t have done it the same way you did. They wouldn’t have fallen in love – with Krypton, with our friends, with me. We couldn’t have asked for a better saviour, and I couldn’t have asked for a better man.”

Adam is beginning to blush, his skin burning the same burnt orange as his costume. “I didn’t do everything alone. I had a lotta help.”

“We all did. But the fact remains – you’re the reason I’m here. You’re the reason Krypton’s story ended the way it did.”

“It’s still out there, y’know,” Adam says, looking thoughtful. “I know a little about Mother Box tech – Val may have displaced the planet, but it’s still out there, somewhere. Maybe we can find a way to bring it back. Time doesn’t pass the same way in ghost dimensions as it does out here. Maybe we can see Seg, and Lyta, and Nyssa again.”

“Did...Val know?” you ask, eyes widening in wonderment at the possibilities.

“’Course he did. The guy spent a decade in the Phantom Zone – he knows all about time dilation and stuff. Somewhere out there, there’s a whole planet of people that still needs saving, even if they don’t know it.”

“So that’s our first mission then,” you tell him firmly. “Maybe we can talk to Kal, see if he can help us. See if the League will as well. Your scientists must know things about this too. Or we can go to Rann and speak with Sardath, if he’s still alive.”

“One thing at a time,” Adam says, waving his hands to calm you down. “Krypton’s not going anywhere. Suspended in time, remember? A few more days won’t hurt it.”

But you can’t let it lie, not now. If there’s even a remote possibility that you can see your friends again, then you have to act on it. Adam can see the determination on your face clear as the sun beaming down on you both, and he sighs in resignation.

“Okay, okay, I can see there’s no persuading you otherwise. Can we at least go to dinner, and then we can work on this first thing in the morning?”

That seems like a fair compromise. And you still want to talk to Kal, and Kara, so you can do two things at once.

“I guess I can agree to that.”

Adam checks the readout on his control panel, and then hisses through his teeth. “Speaking of, we’ve been up here a while. We gotta go if we’re gunna make it for the appetisers.”

“Just one more thing, before we do,” you say, closing the distance between you and throwing your arms around him. Your lips find his, your hands their familiar places, one in his hair, one on the small of his back as he arches into your kiss, his eyelids fluttering with surprise, eyelashes tickling your face.

“What’s that for?” he asks. “Not that I’m complaining, but-”

“Just because. I feel like we’ve earned the right to kiss each other as much as we want, after everything.”

“Can’t argue with that,” he replies, a goofy smile spreading over his face. “I can see the front of the Daily Planet now – Justice League’s Newest Power Couple, Adam Strange and...wait, what’re we going to call you?”

You’ve never even thought about that, to be honest. Kal is Superman. Kara is Supergirl. But you...you aren’t super-anything, at least not yet. You don’t feel like you can take their name like that, even if you are an El.

“I don’t...know...” you say, casting your mind around for ideas. “I’m not sure what fits right.”

Adam starts listing off some suggestions, some of which are sensible, some of which are...less than.

“I mean I always thought Mon-El going by Valor was a little stupid, but it kinda works for him,” he finishes, and that’s when it twigs in your mind.

“Valor. That’s like strength, and goodness, something like that, right? A virtue?”

“That sounds like a dictionary definition, yeah. What’re you thinking?” Adam crosses his arms and waits.

“I think...” you look down at your chest, the House of El emblem staring back up at you. And beneath it, still on a cord around your neck, Seg’s sunstone, your membership to the House of El.

They both mean something. Something to aspire to, something to inspire in other people. Something Seg and Val had always worked to inspire in you, and something you’ve always wanted to inspire in other people. And now, for Earth, you can. When they look up in the sky and see you there, they will know that everything is going to be alright.

“Hope. You can call me Hope.”

Adam thinks for a second, mulling it over in his mind. Then he makes an approving face, and gives you a thumbs up.

“Hope. I like it.”

“So that’s settled, then. Shall we go to dinner?”

“Great idea. I haven’t had Earth food in so long, I can’t even remember what it tastes like.”

And with a playful smile, Adam flies away into the sky, shouting “Last one there’s a rotten Czarnian!”

You smile to yourself, and rocket off after him as the sun begins to set behind you, giving the city below a beautiful orange glow.

One adventure is over. The war for the heart of Krypton has been won. And now, a new adventure is about to begin.

You only have a vague idea of what Earth will have in store for you; Adam’s stories about the planet pale in comparison to being here yourself. But if even half of what he has told you is to be believed, then you’re going to have your work cut out for your defending it from evil.

And that’s without even starting to try and form some kind of civilian life – you can’t be a superhero all the time, after all. So that’s a whole new mystery to try and wrap your head around. 

Maybe you could get a job in a bar. Kem would like that, you think.

But before all that, you have one last thing to do for Krypton; now that you know the possibility exists, you have to get it back from wherever Val has sent it. If there’s even a chance that you can save your friends one last time, if there’s a chance you can bring Krypton back, then you have to take it, no matter what.

First though, you’ve got to have dinner with your new family.

You’re not sure which one of those terrifies you more.

You pull up level with Adam and you both grin with reckless abandon, streaking through the sky like a pair of comets. He reaches out a hand and you take it, joining together and soaring side by side.

As you always have been. As you always will be. 

This may be a strange new world, with a strange new family to get to know. This may be a strange new mission that you’re about to embark on. But Adam will be there, standing by your side, through it all. 

As he always has been. As he always will be.

You cast a sly glance across at Adam, at your hands clasped together, inseparable even at this height, at this speed, in this strange time, on this strange planet that you never expected to visit. 

It’s all going to be even stranger from here on out, you realise, as if it hasn’t been strange for years already. But with Adam’s hand gripped tightly in your own, you find that, for the first time, you’re not worried. 

After all, you’re no stranger to strange.

**THE END**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's the end. I'm not really sure what to say here. This was a difficult ending to write, given Krypton's untimely cancellation - the whole 'remember Krypton' speech I wrote for Val actually choked me up while I was writing it. I'll miss the series, and its characters, and the crazy, crazy shit that they put each other through. 
> 
> But I think this was where my story was always going to end. That's why I kind of skimmed over what would have happened in the interim - that's not really my story to tell. Alright, I threw in some stuff I wanted to see, but most of that's wishful thinking.
> 
> Hopefully this is a satisfying ending to my/your character's journey. It's been a hell of a lot of fun to write it.


End file.
